GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

By:Brianna Dixon, Josh Bannon, Molly Weisner, Samantha Jones, and Vanessa Perdomo

#1 Usage

How is the Source Used?

• It uses turbines, generators and

transformers in a process like drilling

for oil. (You are actually drilling water

or steam wells).

#2 Advantage / #3Disadvantages

Advantages• 70% more efficient than traditional furnaces and air

conditioners.

• “It provides reliable electricity at a stable price”.

• Quiet operation.

• “ It helps Diversify the mix of flues they use to produce

electricity”.

• “ It Generates electricity in a manner that produces minimal

environmental impacts and emissions”. This helps the state

meet renewable portfolio standards.

• Helps develop the economy and opportunities. (Especially in

rural areas).

• “ Provides heat for agricultural, industrial, and space heating

applications”

Disadvantages• Not Widespread Source of Energy

• “Unavailability of equipment, staff, infrastructure, training pose

hindrance to the installation of geothermal plants across the

globe”.

• “Not enough skilled manpower and availability of suitable build

location pose serious problem in adopting geothermal energy

globally”.

• High Installation Costs

• Can Run Out Of Steam

• Suited To Particular Region

• May Release Harmful Gases

• Transportation (: Geothermal Energy can not be easily

transported. Once the tapped energy is extracted, it can be only

used in the surrounding areas).

#4 Geothermal energy in use

#5 Data to support energy usage

• The U.S. Environmental protection agency says that “Geothermal heating and cooling systems are considered the most efficient ways to heat and cool homes”.

• “ 70% more efficient then traditional furnaces and air conditioners”.

• Safe and has no carbon monoxide gasses.

#6 Impact on Public Lands• Geothermal sites are built.

• Rocks are injected with water.

• Land is researched and dug up.

• removes heat from natural reservoirs at over 10 times their rate of

replenishment.

• “Natural features such as hot springs, mud pools, sinter terraces, geysers,

fumaroles (steam vents) and steaming ground can be easily, and

irreparably, damaged by geothermal development”.

• “Reduce the pressure in underground reservoirs and cause the land to

sink”.

• “If waste is released into rivers or lakes instead of being injected into the

geothermal field, these pollutants can damage aquatic life and make the

water unsafe for drinking or irrigation”.

• Geothermal fluids contain dissolved gases which are released into the

atmosphere. The main toxic gases are carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen

sulfide (H2S).

#7 Effectiveness of Energy Production

• Geothermal energy uses of a geothermal heat pump technology to

tap the energy in the earth's surface and drive a heating and air

conditioning system for both residential and commercial uses.

• Very few places have the nessasary environment/ resources for

geothermal energy production.

• Anywhere that has the resources nessasary for geothermal

production to occur get their heat and cooling from earth! (they

don’t need to make it themselves).

• It is renewable so it can never run out!

• Very reliable!

#8 Comparison to Fossil Fuels

Geothermal Energy• Clean.• More efficient.• Cost effective.• Rescues dependence of

foreign oils. • Very little sulfur gasses.• Saves transportation cost.• More reliable than fossil

fuels.• Most power plants are open

24/7.• Hard to transport.

Fossil Fuels• Need some kind of organic remain.

• Not good for the environment.

• Not very reliable.

• Costly.

• Limited resource.

• Dirty.

• Very large amounts of electricity can be generated in one place using coal, fairly cheaply.

• Transporting oil and gas to the power stations is easy.

• Gas-fired power stations are very efficient.

• “A fossil-fuelled power station can be built almost anywhere, so long as you can get large quantities of fuel to it. Didcot power station, in Oxfordshire, has a dedicated rail link to supply the coal”.

#9 Usage outside the U.S.

Around the world people use Geothermal energy for many things. In the circle graph above, it shows the many ways it is used in everyday life around the world.

Country GWh electric

Country GWh electric

United States

17,917 China 12,605

Philippines 9,253 Sweden 10,001Mexico 6,282 United

States8,678

Indonesia 6,085 Turkey 6,901Italy 5,340 Iceland 6,806Japan 3,467 Hungary 2,206New Zealand

2,774 Brazil 1,840

This chart shows Geothermal

Energy Production: The top 10

countries in geothermal

energy utilization.

Current use in U.S./ creation, usage, and consumption

The unites states currently uses Geothermal energy in mostly hotter regions. These pictures and graph show who, how, and for what geothermal energy is used for in the United States.

Historical consumption

Technology in use

In all of the pictures to the left, geothermal energy is being used. The heat is being removed from the earth and water is put into some rocks. Once the heat is removed into the earth it can be used as a heater. You can also make a cooling system out of the geothermal process and a good source of ground water. In the pictures on the left, steam is being shot out of the ground like springs. This hot water is used to heat things up. This process provides a good, renewable, reliable source for humans to use.

Current Research• “Geothermal energy is harnessed from the natural heat of the

Earth. In some cases, this means tapping extremely hot

temperatures via steam at great depths. In others, it involves the

use of moderate temperatures at shallow depths. These are

known as “heat sinks” and are valuable for their use in creating

energy”.

• Geothermal energy is safe overall. It has no carbon monoxide

gasses.

• Helps out everyday citizens.

• It is a reliable source.

• It is not commonly used because there has to be certain

resources in order to function. (usually around a volcano area).

Works Cited

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