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Geothermal Energy

             What is it and how does it produce energy?.
             Geothermal energy is heat energy that comes from the earth. The source of its energy is molten rock beneath the earth's surface. It reaches temperatures up to 6000 degrees. This is a result of radioactive core materials decaying. The molten rock and steam reach high pressure and temperatures and is constantly seeking a way out to the surface. In some parts of the world the earth's crust is very thin and geothermal activity is high. These places are known as "Belts-. Cracks and faults in these areas allow the steam to escape from within the earth. Water finds it's way down the cracks and the water is then heated. It comes to the earth's surface as hot springs. The Romans took advantage of this and built bathing places. These were mainly used as healing or pleasure baths because they were thought to have healing powers due to the high mineral content in the water.
             It wasn't until the 19th century that geothermal energy was used for other types of power like electricity. The people of that time did this by creating turbine generators, which harnessed the energy in the steam. The turbine generator was only created because unlike wood, gas and coal geothermal energy could not be used away from its source.
             Geothermal energy can be divided into low grade and high grade energy. .
             Low grade geothermal energy is water, which surfaces between 20 to 80 degrees. Low grade geothermal energy is useful for heating buildings and pools which only need a temperature of 25 degrees to be comfortable in winter.
             High grade geothermal energy is not as common and comes to the surface as high pressure steam or hot water over 100 degrees. Fumaroles (Hot Springs that vent steam not water), Geysers (water and steam is shot out at high pressure), Mud Pots (Hot Springs that have so much minerals they look like mud) and Hot Dry Rocks (Underground areas of rock that is really hot but is dry).


Essays Related to Geothermal Energy

1. The Future of Geothermal Energy

... to see its theoretical uses, its practice, and its growing popularity around the world to see that geothermal energy is the way to a brighter, cleaner tomorrow. What Geothermal Energy Can Do Geothermal energy can be used for power plants. In this case, hydrothermal fluids are used to create electricity. Geothermal energy can be applied directly as a heat source for homes, offices, and other businesses. This advance ... for heating and cooling buildings as well as to heat the water used in those buildings. This clean, renewable resource is available anywhere and at any time. Geothermal Ene...

  • Word Count: 432
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2. Obamas Energy Plan

... oil - from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. 2. Help create five million new jobs by investing $150 billion over the next 10 years as incentive to companies to develop clean energy. 3. Maximize the U. S. supply of energy by (a) using existing land and offshore oil leases; (b) producing more oil and natural gas in Montana, North Dakota, Texas, and Arkansas; (c) constructing the Alaska Natural ... by 2015; and (c) making $4 billion in retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for auto and parts makers. 5. Have diversified sources of energy by (a) ensuring 10 percent of electricity comes from...

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3. Geothermal Energy

... underground which heat water to produce steam. We drill holes down to the hot region, steam comes up, is purified and used to drive turbines, which drive electric generators. Using geothermal energy to produce electricity is a relatively new industry. It was initiated by a group of Italians who built an electric generator at Lardarello in 1904. The first attempt to develop ... are several acres in size and producing vegetables, flowers, houseplants, and tree seedlings. Operators of fish farms are profiting from the lower energy costs and improved fish growth rates that geothermal energy ...

  • Word Count: 1094
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4. Geothermal Energy

... occurring, or at least to decrease the risk of these disasters occurring, we need to stop using energy sources that emit harmful gases and harm us and our planet, and use alternative energy. One type of alternative energy that should be used is Geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is energy that is stored and generated within the Earth, and it determines the temperature of the matter while originating ... electricity generated in the United States came from Geothermal energy. The reason why we should switch to using Geothermal energy to provide electricity for Union County is because it i...

  • Word Count: 722
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5. Fossil Fuel Alternative Energy

... more and more throughout the years. Hydroelectric power, Biomass energy, geothermal energy and solar power are all being used today in the United States. Currently about 7.6% of the energy used in the United States comes from renewable energy. Of this hydroelectric accounts for 4%, biomass 3% and wind, solar, and geothermal energy accounts for the remaining .6%. About 85% of the energy comes from Fossil Fuels nuclear power provides the last ... sewage. It is also the concept of using vegetation as a continuous source of future energy, relying on crops that which offer a high yield in en...

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6. Geothermal energy

Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is the harvesting of the earths natural heat that is produced by the earths core. In order to harness this heat, the use of shallow ground water and hot water and rock several miles below the earth's surface are utilized. Even further down, the heat of molt...

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7. geothermal energy

... the earth where local concentrations of heat occur, just as mineral concentrations do. Most of these are located along oceanic ridges and continental rifts, such as the "Ring of Fire". Geothermal energy is not free from environmental problems. The steam contains large amounts of hydrogen sulphide with its smell of rotten eggs, and both steam and hot water contain substantial amounts of ... to the aquatic life in the streams and rivers into which they are eventually discharged. Also, the removal of steam or water causes the earth to subside in that region. Geothermal energy was first use...

  • Word Count: 509
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8. Energy Problems

... oil, enough to last for 5000 days (Coastal 75). So the oil crisis is not entirely bad news, the U.S. still has time to implement alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy, hydroelectric energy, solar power, wind power, and geothermal energy, as well as alternative fuels which may be used in existing power plants. Alternative fuels can be used in existing power plants to conserve the ... the sun, as well as creates no pollution. As long as the sun is present solar power will be continuously available. Geothermal energy must also be explored. Geothermal energy uses the earths core...

  • Word Count: 1395
  • Approx Pages: 6
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9. Renewable Energy

... Ethanol is made from corn and other grains and is more expensive than gasoline (Renewable Energy Primer, 2). An alternative to biomass would be geothermal energy. "Geothermal energy starts with hot, molten rock miles below the earths surface that heats a section of the earths crust- (Renewable Energy Primer, 2). This heating causes underground pools of water to become heated and they can ... electricity to power the homes of more than 3.5 million people. The power plants produce electricity at 5 • to 7.5 • per kilowatt-hour- (National Renewable Energy Lab., 1). Geothermal energy is o...

  • Word Count: 1298
  • Approx Pages: 5
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