Geothermal Energy

What it is

• Geothermal energy is when energy from deep inside the Earth is extracted through geothermal pumps.

How it's harnessed

When groundwater is heated by magma, it reaches a boiling point, which makes steam. Then it is captured by geothermal heat pumps which turns turbines and activates generators, therefore giving us a usable power supply.

Pros

• It's renewable- As long as the earth exists, it will always be available.
• Cost savings- Saves 80% of the costs from using fossil fuels.
• No reliance on fossil fuels means there is no pollution, less costs, and stable electricity prices.
• Direct use- You can get the energy directly to your home, to heat or cool.

Pros

• Reliable- It's renewable, we can use it 24/7, regardless of the weather.
• Creates jobs- Requires people to build and run machines and stuff.
• Promotes national security-We don't have to rely on countries for energy.
• Can be found almost anywhere in the U.S.

Cons

• Prone to earthquakes and volcanoes
• High installation costs-Initial investment cost a lot since
• The supply is limited and is only in some areas
• Not widespread; the plants can only be where there are hot rocks below Earth and can produce steam for a long time.
• Not many people use this energy.

Cons Continued

• Not easily transported.
• Can stop being harnessed if temperature drops due to water being injected into rocks to cool the steam until there is no steam left

Fun Facts

• The word "geo" comes from the Greek word for Earth and thermal comes from "thermos"
• Geothermal power plants in the Philippines and Iceland contribute around 30% of their electricity production. In the USA it is less than 1%.

More Fun Facts

• The oldest known spa fed from a hot spring is believed to be a stone pool found on Lisan Mountain in China, built in the 3rd century BC.
• As of 2010, 24 countries around the world use geothermal power to generate electricity while around 70 use it for various forms of heating.

This is a picture of Old Faithful, which is a visual example of G.E. Other examples include volcanoes and hot springs

This is a hot spring, another example of geothermal energy you can see.

This is a picture of the famous Mt. Vesuvius

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Bibliography

• "Advantages Of Geothermal Energy." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2015.
• "Alternative Energy Sources - Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass, Ocean and Other Energy Sources." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2015.

Bibliography Continued

• "Disadvantages Of Geothermal Energy." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2015.
• "How Geothermal Energy Works." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2015.

Bibliography Continued Continued

• "Geothermal Energy Facts - Power from the Ground." Geothermal Energy Facts - Power from the Ground. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2015.
• "Radium Hot Springs Tourism: Best of Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia - TripAdvisor." Radium Hot Springs Tourism: Best of Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia - TripAdvisor. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2015.