I need to lnow in detail what is geothermal energy, exactly, how it is converted to power, and how is it pumped out of the earth (I know it is pumped) thx
More Pages:
- Solar Energy: Who Provides The Geothermal Energy? (11/23/2011)
- Solar Energy: Geothermal Energy Benefits? (6/23/2012)
- Solar Energy: How Can Geothermal Energy Be Used In The Future? (5/7/2011)
- Solar Energy: Which Of The Following Is An Advantage Of Using Geothermal Energy To Produce Electricity? (6/15/2011)
- Solar Energy: What Are The Advantages Of Geothermal Energy? (6/7/2011)
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The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). So, geothermal energy is heat from within the earth. We can use the steam and hot water produced inside the earth to heat buildings or generate electricity. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is replenished by rainfall and the heat is continuously produced inside the earth.
Geothermal energy in general is using the earth itself as a source of heating and cooling. There are several ways this is done.
The simplest, which has been practiced for thousands of years, is a passive system, simply building structures below ground to take advantage of the constant temperature of the earth’s outer crust (about 50 degrees F). Homes and storage facilities have been built this way around the world. We just built an underground cheese cave (for aging our cheese) that requires no external power whatsoever to retain a constant temperature. A basement also uses this technology to help lower heating and cooling costs in a modern home.
The next step up is an active heat-exchange system, where pipes are buried in the ground and air is pumped through the pipes to heat it (in winter) and cool it (in summer). The earth’s constant temperature is used to heat or cool the outside air. Because no power is needed for heating or cooling, this is much more energy-efficient than electricity- or fuel-powered heating and cooling.
The largest and most advanced technologies use heat from hot spots in the earth’s crust to create steam and power turbines that produce electricity. Typically, two holes are drilled into the earth in a hot spot, and explosives or other means are used to create a network of cracks between them. Then water is forced in one hole, and the steam that comes out the other side is harnessed to run the turbines.