For years I have overheard conversations regarding heating homes with heat pumps, but have never contributed to the conversation with information or facts. Now I have taken this opportunity to get educated about geothermal energy. The extent of my prior knowledge about heat pumps was very limited, only knowing that it was part of a process that uses the Earth's resources to provide heat for homes. Some of the information that I have learned to this point was shocking. I only thought of heat pumps for residential use; having never considered that there are Geothermal power plants providing power to entire cities. As well as providing energy, some of these plants provide other resources for consumers use.
Geothermal energy is the process of converting the heat from the Earth, by means of transferring heat throughout high density polyethylene piping that is run under the surface of the ground. There are several ways that this is accomplished. There is the horizontal coil configuration that is much like a slinky effect. For a smaller foot print, a process of deep well or vertical systems is used. One can even have the piping run across the bottom of a lake or pond that has a constant depth of eight feet. There are many options available through which this process can be achieved. As for worrying about the piping, it can have a twenty-five to fifty year warranty, with a life expectancy of up to two hundred years. However; the type of soil does have an effect on the process. A fine soil is best where as a coarse soil, because of the air pockets, could require up to thirty percent more piping. .
There are three types of power plants. The first type is the Flash Steam that uses steam from boiling water extracted from underground locations to turn turbines. The second type is the Dry Steam that extracts the steam only to activate the turbine. The first one of these was put into operation in Larderello, Italy in 1904 and is still producing electric today.
