By:Butterfly Swag leader Isaiah Canlas and Dr. mad scientist headmaster Max Tchen All Hail The Motherland

 When superhot magma from deep within the earth comes close to the surface, it heats underground water and traps it in cracks and porous rock, creating reservoirs of very hot water and steam. Deep wells can tap the high energy content of this water and steam to drive a myriad of energy services, including electricity, heating, cooling, industrial processes, and even melting snow on roads.

 Almost entirely emission free  Zero carbon output  Not subject to the same fluctuations as solar or wind  Smallest land footprint of any major power source  Virtually limitless supply  Inherently simple and reliable  Already cost competitive in some areas  Could be built underground  Some level of geothermal energy available most places  Geothermal power plants are also excellent sources of baseload power. Baseload power is power that electric utility companies must deliver all day long. Baseload geothermal plants sell electricity all the time, not only during peak use times when the demand for electricity is high.

 Geothermal sites are very location-specific  They are often far from population centers  Losses due to long distance transmission of electricity  Water usage  Sulfur dioxide and silica emissions  High construction costs  Drilling into heated rock is very difficult  Minimum temperature of 350F+ generally required

 Wells that are sometimes a mile (1.6 kilometers) deep or more, are drilled into underground reservoirs to tap steam and very hot water that drive turbines linked to electricity generators.  Three types of geothermal power plants ◦ Dry steam, the oldest geothermal technology, takes steam out of fractures in the ground and uses it to directly drive a turbine. ◦ Flash plants pull deep, high- pressure hot water into cooler, low-pressure water. ◦ In binary plants, the hot water is passed by a secondary fluid with a much lower boiling point than water.  Open Loop Heat Pump System – The oldest of the geothermal systems, this type pumps water from a well and delivers it to the heat pump. It requires a surface body of water such as a lake, river or pond for use as an injection well.  Horizontal Closed Loop Heat Pump System – The most common residential system, its ability to conserve space makes this option viable for homes without access to land or surface water.  Lake Loop Heat Pump System – A great alternative for those located within close proximity to a large body of water.

 The United States produces more wattage of electricity with geothermal energy than any other nation but only.3% of it’s energy comes from geothermal sources.  Industry experts agree that geothermal energy could be cost- competitive with fossil fuel energy in the short term.  The vast majority of geothermal power is produced in California. In addition to fueling power plants, geothermal energy is used to heat spas, pools, homes, greenhouses and aquaculture ponds.  Most geothermal plants are found on the west coast as well as Hawaii and Alaska.

 Iceland produces the highest percentage of its electricity with geothermal power than any other nation.  Iceland’s geothermal power plants generate electricity for nearly one-third of the country, but also provide nearly 90 percent of the heating needed for water and buildings.  Governments of various countries offer incentives and rebates to residential as well as industries to make use of geothermal energy where it is possible to harness that energy.  Geothermal energy is used generally to warm/cool buildings and to harness electricity through turbines.

 Land subsidence, a phenomenon in which the land surface sinks, is sometimes caused by the removal of water from geothermal reservoirs.  In open-loop geothermal systems, approximately 10 percent of the air emissions are carbon dioxide, and a smaller amount of emissions are methane, a more potent global warming gas.  Geothermal fluids contain elevated levels of arsenic, mercury, lithium and boron because of the underground contact between hot fluids and rocks. This produces high levels of arsenic that can contaminate waterways.

 Geothermal power plants can produce electricity as cheaply as some conventional power plants. It costs 4.5 to seven cents per kWh to produce electricity from hydrothermal systems. In comparison, new coal-fired plants produce electricity at about four cents per kWh.  Geothermal Energy can not be easily transported. Once the tapped energy is extracted, it can only used in the surrounding areas.  Geothermal energy does not produce waste or generate greenhouse gases and is readily available. However, harnessing this energy requires geothermal plants, mining equipment and etc.

 Links  Geothermal Energy." NRDC: Renewable Energy for America: Geothermal. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan  "Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Energy." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan  "Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand." 5. Effects on the Environment – Geothermal Energy –. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan  "Geothermal Energy: Pros and Cons." Triple Pundit RSS. N.p., 14 June Web. 31 Dec  "Geothermal Electricity Production." Geothermal Energy:. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan  "Geothermal Energy." Geothermal Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan  "Geothermal Energy Cost." ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 20 Jan Web. 03 Jan  "Geothermal Energy Information, Geothermal Power Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan  "Geothermal Energy." NRDC: Renewable Energy for America: Geothermal. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan  "Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Energy." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan  "Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand." 5. Effects on the Environment – Geothermal Energy –. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan  "Geothermal Power: A Powerfully Efficient Energy Source." Articles RESNET. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2015