Geothermal Power - An Alternative Energy Source
More and more people who are concerned about the energy future of the world are arriving at the idea that someone should be doing everything possible to develop geothermal energy technologies.
Despite some study and development in the area of geothermal energy, this is still a largely untapped area of tremendous alternative energy potential. What is great about this potential form of power is that it simply taps into, and makes use of, the energy being naturally produced by the Earth itself.
Think about it: Vast amounts of power are present below the surface crust on which we live as we worry about where our energy will come from in the future.
All we need do is tap into it and harness it.
Earth at High Temperature Provides Steam Energy
Within the Earths' core, far beneath our feet, the average temperature is 60 times greater than that of boiling water. This tremendous amount of heat creates pressures that express themselves as near to us as only a couple of miles below the surface.
These areas of pressure include huge amounts of energy.
Superheated fluids in the form of magma, in which we can see the power and energy of whenever there is a volcanic eruption, are ready for our use. These fluids also often trickle to the surface as steam and emerge from open vents in the earth's surface. We can even create our own vents, and we can create our own containment chambers for the magma and convert all of this energy into electricity to light and heat our homes.
The Geothermal Power Plant
In the creation of a geothermal power plant, a well would be dug where there is a good source of magma or heated fluid. Piping would then be fitted down into the source, and the fluids then forced to the surface to produce the needed steam. The steam would turn a turbine engine, which would generate the electricity.
The Critic's Argument
There are criticisms of tapping geothermal energy which could prevent its being implemented on the large scale which it should be.
For example, there are critics who say that study and research to find a naturally productive area is too costly and takes up too much time. Then there are those who point out the great expense needed to build a geothermal power plant, with no promise of the plant turning a profit. Some say that geothermal sites, once tapped, might possibly be found to not produce a large enough amount of steam for the power plant to be viable or reliable. And finally, we hear from the environmentalists who are concerned that bringing up magma can bring up potentially harmful materials along with it or have other negative aspects on the environment.
Do the Benefits Outweigh the Criticisms?
However, the great benefits of geothermal energy may possibly trump these criticisms if only we would explore it more.
While critics are right that we don't yet know all we need to know, we will not ever know the answers unless we follow the natural course of exploration and experimentation.
A few years ago, critics scoffed at the idea of hybrid cars, while others scoffed at the idea of gas prices being as high as they are now!
The fact that geothermal energy is merely the energy of the Earth herself means that it does not produce any pollutants...at least as we know now. The effects on the environment can already be studied to some extent at natural vent sites.
The Benefits of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is extremely efficient. The efforts needed to channel it are relatively minimal after a site is found and a plant is set up.
Geothermal plants, furthermore, will not need to be as large as electrical plants, giant hydroelectric dams, or atomic energy facilities. As a result, the environment would be less disrupted.
Needless to say, it is an alternative form of energy. Using it would mean we become that much less dependent on foreign oil and/or domestic coal. Perhaps most importantly of all, we are never, ever going to run out of geothermal energy while the earth is habitable by humans, and it is not a commodity that should continuously become more expensive in terms of real dollars as time passes, since it is so available and easy to obtain.
Geothermal energy would be, in the end, very cheap, after exploration, experimentation, investigation and power plant construction costs are recouped.
===========
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Despite some study and development in the area of geothermal energy, this is still a largely untapped area of tremendous alternative energy potential. What is great about this potential form of power is that it simply taps into, and makes use of, the energy being naturally produced by the Earth itself.
Think about it: Vast amounts of power are present below the surface crust on which we live as we worry about where our energy will come from in the future.
All we need do is tap into it and harness it.
Earth at High Temperature Provides Steam Energy
Within the Earths' core, far beneath our feet, the average temperature is 60 times greater than that of boiling water. This tremendous amount of heat creates pressures that express themselves as near to us as only a couple of miles below the surface.
These areas of pressure include huge amounts of energy.
Superheated fluids in the form of magma, in which we can see the power and energy of whenever there is a volcanic eruption, are ready for our use. These fluids also often trickle to the surface as steam and emerge from open vents in the earth's surface. We can even create our own vents, and we can create our own containment chambers for the magma and convert all of this energy into electricity to light and heat our homes.
The Geothermal Power Plant
In the creation of a geothermal power plant, a well would be dug where there is a good source of magma or heated fluid. Piping would then be fitted down into the source, and the fluids then forced to the surface to produce the needed steam. The steam would turn a turbine engine, which would generate the electricity.
The Critic's Argument
There are criticisms of tapping geothermal energy which could prevent its being implemented on the large scale which it should be.
For example, there are critics who say that study and research to find a naturally productive area is too costly and takes up too much time. Then there are those who point out the great expense needed to build a geothermal power plant, with no promise of the plant turning a profit. Some say that geothermal sites, once tapped, might possibly be found to not produce a large enough amount of steam for the power plant to be viable or reliable. And finally, we hear from the environmentalists who are concerned that bringing up magma can bring up potentially harmful materials along with it or have other negative aspects on the environment.
Do the Benefits Outweigh the Criticisms?
However, the great benefits of geothermal energy may possibly trump these criticisms if only we would explore it more.
While critics are right that we don't yet know all we need to know, we will not ever know the answers unless we follow the natural course of exploration and experimentation.
A few years ago, critics scoffed at the idea of hybrid cars, while others scoffed at the idea of gas prices being as high as they are now!
The fact that geothermal energy is merely the energy of the Earth herself means that it does not produce any pollutants...at least as we know now. The effects on the environment can already be studied to some extent at natural vent sites.
The Benefits of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is extremely efficient. The efforts needed to channel it are relatively minimal after a site is found and a plant is set up.
Geothermal plants, furthermore, will not need to be as large as electrical plants, giant hydroelectric dams, or atomic energy facilities. As a result, the environment would be less disrupted.
Needless to say, it is an alternative form of energy. Using it would mean we become that much less dependent on foreign oil and/or domestic coal. Perhaps most importantly of all, we are never, ever going to run out of geothermal energy while the earth is habitable by humans, and it is not a commodity that should continuously become more expensive in terms of real dollars as time passes, since it is so available and easy to obtain.
Geothermal energy would be, in the end, very cheap, after exploration, experimentation, investigation and power plant construction costs are recouped.
===========
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Labels: alternative energy, amsoil, amsoil dealer, geothermal, geothermal energy, hybrid cars
posted by Donovan Baldwin at 6:12 PM
1 Comments:
Geothermal Energy is one of the interesting and more promising alternative fuel like solar power, which of both are the greener technologies as well, but still their is more studies need to be done in the direction and effects of earth eco-system, how to balance the power output while reducing the damages etc... before we can produce commercial geothermal energy
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