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Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy. Rose Velazquez. What does Geothermal mean?. Definition: Geothermal : of or relating to the heat in the interior of the earth. What is Geothermal Energy?. Geothermal Energy is the capturing and harvesting of heat, steam, or hot water from the inside of the Earth’s core.

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Geothermal Energy

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  1. Geothermal Energy Rose Velazquez

  2. What does Geothermal mean? Definition: Geothermal: ofor relating to the heat in the interior of the earth.

  3. What is Geothermal Energy? • Geothermal Energy is the capturing and harvesting of heat, steam, or hot water from the inside of the Earth’s core. • Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the heat is continuously produced inside the Earth.

  4. Uses • In the ancient times Geothermal Energy used to be used bathing and space heating in the Roman Ages. • Now it is used primarily for electricity and heating buildings.

  5. The oldest known hot spring pool, built in the Qin dynasty in the 3rd century BC.

  6. Different Types of Use • Direct use and district heating systems use hot water from springs or reservoirs near the surface. • Electricity generation power plants require water or steam at very high temperatures (300° to 700°F). These plants are usually built where geothermal reservoirs are located within a mile or two of the surface. • Geothermal heat pumps use stable ground or water temperatures near the Earth's surface to control building temperatures above ground.

  7. Emissions • Geothermal power plants do not need to burn fuel to produce electricity, therefore emission levels are very low. Geothermal plants emit less than 1% of the carbon dioxide of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants also use a “scrubber system” that cleans the air of hydrogen sulfide which is naturally found in steam and hot water. • Geothermal plants emit 97% less acid rain-causing compounds than fossil fuel plants.

  8. Use of Geothermal power in the United States • The United States leads the world in electricity generation with geothermal power.  In 2009, U.S. geothermal power plants produced 15.2 billion kilowatt-hours, or 0.4% of total U.S. electricity generation.  • California is the leader in geothermal power plants (34), which produced almost 86% of U.S. geothermal electricity in 2009. • Nevada has 16 geothermal power plants. • Hawaii, Idaho, and Utah each have one geothermal plant.

  9. Geothermal Map of U.S.

  10. Cost & Failure Rate • Unfortunately building or drilling for Geothermal Energy is very expensive. • Because Geothermal power requires no fuel it is immune to fuel cost inflations but costs to build/drill are very expensive. • Drilling uses over half the costs and the searching of the deep energy has high risks. • A typical drilled well in Nevada would cost about $10 million to drill, with a 20% failure rate, which is much higher than normal fossil fuel wells.

  11. Cites Used • http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-geothermal-energy-works.html • http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=geothermal_home-basics • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy

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