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Emily Swope
Dr. Semih Eser
EGEE 101H
10 April 2014
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is an interesting and unique resource that has a lot to offer for
the future of energy. Using the heat of the Earth, it has been available for thousands of
years. Applying this heat for electricity did not begin until the early 1900s, and further
developments continued after this. Now it has become an energy resource produced in
over twenty countries, but it has the potential to be produced in many more. This
potential is met with some challenges, mainly because geothermal energy is very
dependent upon location. Having only certain areas where it can be produced creates
limitations. This is especially because it is very expensive to transport. It is worth finding
solutions associated with geothermal energy, because the environmental and economic
impact is much less than many other energy options. While it may be expensive initially,
systems for geothermal energy normally end up paying for themselves. Also, systems
exist and are being developed that have relatively low emissions or none at all.
Geothermal energy should continue to be encouraged and recognized for its great
potential so that the full impact it has to help the world can be met.
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy resource that offers many benefits and a
lot of potential in terms of its use in the future. Coming from the heat of the Earth, this
energy source uses methods to get heat energy in ways that do not hurt the environment
as much as many other energy sources. Because heat from the Earth is something that
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will not stop occurring for billions of years, it is a long-term form of energy that the
world can depend on. While it is used in various countries, geothermal energy has the
ability to expand even more. Any energy resource cannot exist without downsides, and
there are negatives to using geothermal energy. However, the potential for growth that it
has and the guarantee of availability make it a considerable option for obtaining energy.
There are a lot of projects underway to expand geothermal energy and several
developments that are being encouraged. While there are these developments, problems
arise because this energy resource depends on its location. That does create several
limitations, but solutions are being searched for. As it becomes more necessary everyday
to find a reliable energy source that has minimum setbacks, geothermal energy becomes
an increasingly important resource that holds many more possibilities in how it can
influence the world.
Geothermal energy, while always using the heat from the Earth, can be formed
through various methods. The heat coming from the Earths core can be found just a few
feet into Earth, or thousands of feet into Earth. Sometimes this heat can be used directly,
and other times it can be tapped into. The total amount of heat found in Earth is the
extremely large amount of 12.6*10^24 MJ, decreasing at Earths crust with 5.4*10^21
MJ of heat (Dickson and Fanelli). Humans can only use this heat for geothermal energy
in areas where systems can be created to obtain this energy. That limits the amount of
heat humans actually have access to and also the amount of geothermal technology that
can be used.
This energy resource has been useful for thousands of years. It was first
discovered at a time between the sixteenth and seventeenth century due to the expansion
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of mining. That allowed for the discovery that the deeper into Earth one goes, the hotter it
gets (Dickson and Fanelli). It was still used in some countries before this, for example,
for bathing and heating purposes in ancient Roman times and in Pompeii to heat
buildings (Geothermal Basics). The first health spa was created in 1326 in Belgium
using geothermal energy from springs (Geothermal Basics). These are just some
examples of how geothermal energy was used in the past, but it has developed to become
an energy resource generated in more than twenty countries (National Geographic). In
1892 the first geothermal district heating system was formed in Idaho, and in 1904
attempts at generating electricity began in Italy (Dickson and Fanelli). Italy played a large
role in the development of geothermal energy after its success in generating electricity
from geothermal steam, because it led other countries to try the same. Currently the
United States uses the most geothermal energy, and the worlds largest geothermal area is
The Geysers that are north of San Francisco, California (National Geographic). In the
United States geothermal power plants exist in several states including Alaska, Idaho,
Oregon, Hawaii, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming but most notably Nevada and
California (Geothermal Basics). While geothermal energy is used in all of these places,
it can expand even more especially with new technology that is being created to capture
it.
There is a lot of potential for growth in geothermal energy. In 2010 geothermal
energy produced 3,000 megawatts of energy (Renewable Energy for America). That is
equivalent to only .5% of the energy used in the United States (Renewable Energy for
America). Today it is predicted that 7,800 megawatts are in the process of being produced
from projects in different stages of development (Renewable Energy for America). That
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shows the advancements occurring, and how it is growing. For example, the Geothermal
Technologies Office plans to deploy 12 GWe of geothermal energy by 2020, which
would allow for the resource to expand across the United States (Geothermal Maps).
Certain polices have been put into place to help with the expansion. California has a grant
fund called the Geothermal Resources Development Account that encourages the
development of geothermal energy (Geothermal Basics). Congress also passed the
Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007 (Geothermal
Basics). All of these efforts are important, but in reality the full potential of geothermal
energy can never be reached due to limitations that exist within the resource. Using
geothermal energy with other renewable resources would be necessary, but it is still
crucial that actions to develop geothermal energy are made.
New systems being created for obtaining geothermal energy also help it to meet
its potential. Enhanced Geothermal Systems, for example, is a new technique that allows
for geothermal energy to be obtained even in areas where there is not water available
(Geothermal Basics). Developing this approach would allow for the expansion of
geothermal energy because areas that are dry would be able to produce geothermal
energy too. However, the costs of a power plant run by an Enhanced Geothermal System
would be double the cost of a traditional power plant (Enhanced Geothermal Systems).
In the long run though this might only be an initial cost difference because these systems
do not need to purchase fossil fuels to create electricity, which traditional plants need to
do (Enhanced Geothermal Systems).
One of the most popular ways to obtain geothermal energy is to use power plants.
These power plants use geothermal energy to create electricity. While there are four
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types, they all work similarly in that they bring hot water and steam to the surface, use
this hot water and steam, and then bring it back into Earth as hot water (How
Geothermal Energy Works). This is done by the use of wells located in geothermal
reservoirs. In dry steam power plants, steam is created from a geothermal reservoir, and
then brought through a turbine to run a generator (Geothermal Basics). A second type
of power plant called a flash power plant uses a separator to separate steam and hot
water, and then the steam is used for the turbine to power a generator (Geothermal
Basics). Binary power plants are special in that they produce almost no emissions. These
power plants work by using geothermal water to heat a liquid that has a boiling point
below that of the water. The liquid then becomes a vapor that can cause the turbines to
move and power a generator (Geothermal Basics). Finally the combination of binary
and flash power plant uses a backpressure steam turbine to create electricity from steam
and then condenses this steam (Geothermal Basics).
Another major way that geothermal energy is obtained is through heat pumps.
Heat pumps can be used basically anywhere that has heat below the surface, so almost
anywhere in the world. The goal of heat pumps is to provide heating and cooling to a
building. The way that this system works is through pipes that are below the surface.
These pipes have hot liquids traveling through (Geothermal Basics). To create heat,
heat is taken from these pipes. To create a cooling effect, heat is taken from a place and
brought into these pipes or into hot water tanks (Geothermal Basics). Heat pumps can
be found in over thirty countries and can be used with low-temperature liquids, which is
beneficial (Dickson and Fanelli). They are inexpensive and very energy efficient. For
example, heat pumps use 25% to 50% less energy than other heating and cooling systems
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("Choosing and Installing Geothermal Heat Pumps"). They are becoming more
encouraged through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which allows
people who have installed EnergyStar heat pumps to have an eight-year extension of the
30% investment tax credit (How Geothermal Energy Works).
The systems used to capture geothermal energy are relatively inexpensive. Direct
use can save 80 percent more money than the use of fossil fuels (National Geographic).
This is mostly due to the fact that these systems do not need to use extra power to
actually make heat. They instead are capturing and transporting hot spring water. Power
plants also do not need to use fossil fuels to create electricity, which can save money.
Another benefit from these processes compared to other energy resources is that it is
more environmentally friendly. Aside from using less power, the emissions geothermal
energy creates from geothermal fields are significantly less than power plants that use
gas. In fact, this energy resource produces only a sixth of the carbon dioxide that gas
fueled plants produce (National Geographic).
Geothermal energy can be used for several different purposes. Geothermal heat
pumps are used for cooling and heating systems in buildings, and power plants for
electricity. However there are also many other uses for geothermal energy that are not as
obvious. For example, direct use specifically can be used for raising plants in
greenhouses, drying out fish, pasteurizing milk, or drying crops (Geothermal Energy
Basics). Geothermal energy can also be used to melt snow and ice on the roads, and for
several different industrial purposes (Alternative Uses of Highway Right-of-Way).
Geothermal energy is a useful option because it can be used to power so many different
appliances. Another important contribution of geothermal energy is the jobs that it could
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potentially create. The development of 5,600 mega-watts could produce the availability
of 100,000 jobs (Renewable Energy for America). Jobs are something that the United
States always needs more of, and geothermal energy could help to fulfill that need.
There are several drawbacks in geothermal energy. One negative effect on the
environment is the release of hydrogen sulfide (National Geographic). This is mainly the
only effect on the environment, which is not a lot compared to other sources. There is
also a release of carbon dioxide at power plants, which is around 13 to 380 grams for
every kWh (Dickson and Fanelli). In comparison to oil and coal fired plants, which
exceed over 900 grams for every kWh, this amount is much less (Dickson and Fanelli).
However, geothermal energy is much more complicated in how it can be transported.
That causes many issues. It is best used around the area that it is produced, and
transporting it is difficult and also expensive. Restrictions in transportation and the need
to build power plants close to the geothermal resource make it very challenging for this
energy source to become widespread. Another drawback is that while heat from the Earth
will be present for billions of years, this heat shifts spots and can become less intense,
making permanent energy systems at one location often short-lived. If there is not enough
steam at a location and this runs out, no energy can be produced. That cannot be ignored
in planning power plants especially, because so much money is invested in making them.
Creating seismic activity is also a concern with geothermal energy when geothermal
liquids are removed or added back, although this is not a serious concern because it is an
unlikely occurrence (Dickson and Fanelli). All of these drawbacks need to be considered,
but it also should be understood that there are solutions in the making for them.
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Geothermal energy has the capability to create solutions for energy problems
facing the world today. This is because of the constant availability, inexpensive cost, and
low emissions that it has. The reality is that no energy source can exist without causing
some sort of impact on the environment, and geothermal energy is no exception.
However, these effects are much less severe than many other options, and binary power
plants do not even have any emissions. While the initial cost may be more expensive than
other energy sources in certain aspects, geothermal energy will eventually pay for itself
because of its efficiency. The issue is that the energy source needs to be in one place long
enough for that to happen, which can be challenging depending upon the accessibility of
heat from the Earth. Enhanced Geothermal Systems help make geothermal energy
accessible in more places, even places with no water. Other developments could help
with that expansion, and are being supported by laws and grants. This will assist with the
problems and high cost of transporting geothermal energy, which is another factor that
limits the resource. The United States produces the most geothermal energy in the world,
but several other countries have the capability to produce more. However, it needs to be
used in conjunction with other renewable resources because simply it is impossible to
actually meet full potential based on all of the limitations. Regardless, prioritizing this
energy resource can change the world, and efforts must continue to improve geothermal
energy.




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Works Cited
"Alternative Uses of Highway Right-of-Way." 3 Renewable Energy Technologies in the
ROW. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 18
Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/publications/alternative_uses_of_highway_
right-of-way/rep03.cfm>.
"Choosing and Installing Geothermal Heat Pumps." Energy.gov. U.S. Department of
Energy, 24 June 2012. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
<http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/choosing-and-installing-geothermal-heat-
pumps>.
Dickson, Mary H., and Mario Fanelli. "What Is Geothermal Energy?" Geothermal
Energy. International Geothermal Association, Feb. 2004. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.geothermal-
enery.org/geothermal_energy/what_is_geothermal_energy.html>.
"Enhanced Geothermal Systems." Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Center for
Climate and Energy Solutions, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.c2es.org/technology/factsheet/EGS>.
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"Geothermal Energy Basics." Learning about Renewable Energy. National Renewable
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<http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_geothermal.html>.
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Geothermal Energy. National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 28 Mar.
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warming/geothermal-profile/>.
"Geothermal Energy." Renewable Energy for America. National Resources Defense
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<http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/geothermal.asp>.
"Geothermal Maps." Geothermal Technologies Office. U.S. Department of Energy, 12
June 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
<http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/maps.html>.
"How Geothermal Energy Works." Clean Energy. Union of Concerned Scientists, 12
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energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-geothermal-energy-works.html>.