Geothermal Energy Maren Hamby Ashley Dolan

Geothermal Energy  Geothermal energy: heat from the Earth Clean, continuous, sustainable energy Clean, continuous, sustainable energy Renewable because Earth's internal heat is limitless, it is an inexhaustible source of energy Renewable because Earth's internal heat is limitless, it is an inexhaustible source of energy Travels by conduction Travels by conduction Goal: using natural unlimited energy from the earth Goal: using natural unlimited energy from the earth

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Geothermal reservoir  Natural  Water seeps into ground and is heated by the geothermal energy  Forms hot spring or geysers, or stays underground in cracks or porous rocks  Example: Old Faithful

 Rockies/Yellowstone_Thermal/hot_spring.jpg  s-OldFaithfulGeyser-at-Sunset.jpg

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Geothermal Uses  Electricity production for heating and cooling purposes Commercial, industrial, and residential Commercial, industrial, and residential  Heating: space heating and cooling, food preparation, hot spring bathing and spas, agriculture, aquaculture, greenhouses, industrial processes

Geothermal Power Plants  make electricity  make electricity  3 types: Dry Steam Plants: use steam direct from geothermal reservoirs to drive generator turbines Dry Steam Plants: use steam direct from geothermal reservoirs to drive generator turbines once used water condenses and is pumped back into the groundonce used water condenses and is pumped back into the ground Flash Steam Plants: take high pressure hot water and convert to steam to turn generator turbines Flash Steam Plants: take high pressure hot water and convert to steam to turn generator turbines

Geothermal Power Plants 

Geothermal Power Plants Binary Power Plants: hot water is used to heat another liquid which is then converted to steam to turn the generator turbines Binary Power Plants: hot water is used to heat another liquid which is then converted to steam to turn the generator turbines

Geothermal Heat Pumps  Use for heating and cooling  Earth's crust temperatures are fairly constant  Used as a regulator that heats buildings in the winter and cools them in the summer

Geothermal Heat Pumps 

Making a Difference  Moving to the US  Direct use systems can heat 40,000 average size houses  Cost effective  Reliable  Environmentally friendly

Obstacles  Technological Geothermal heating systems use liquid, these can be a refrigerant which is toxic Geothermal heating systems use liquid, these can be a refrigerant which is toxic Finding land Finding land Can stop producing steam Can stop producing steam Gas leaks Gas leaks

Obstacles  Political Expensive, but prices vary with location and brand Expensive, but prices vary with location and brand Repairs expensive and difficult Repairs expensive and difficult

Environmental Impact  Have almost no negative impact on the environment  Need large location  Noisy, but can be controlled  Uses less land  Waste water used to recharge power plants and irrigate

Environmental Impact  Better than fossil fuel power plants that emit smoke, geothermal plants only emit steam (nitrous oxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide emissions low)  Release less than 1% of the carbon dioxide that fossil fuels emit  Emits 97% less acid rain than fossil fuels

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