GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

  Origin: geothermal energy is heat from within the earth. It is generated in the earth's core. Temperatures hotter than the sun's surface are continuously produced inside the earth by the slow decay of radioactive particles, a process that happens in all rocks. The temperature of the rocks and water get hotter and hotter as you go deeper underground.

Extraction: geothermal power plants use hydrothermal resources which have two common ingredients: water (hydro) and heat (thermal). We can use these resources by drilling wells into the earth and piping the steam or hot water to the surface.

Most geothermal power plants are flash plants.

  Uses: the three main uses of geothermal energy are:

1) Direct Use and District Heating Systems which use hot water from springs or reservoirs near the surface.
2) Electricity generation in a power plant requires water or steam at very high temperature.

3) Geothermal heat pumps use stable ground or water temperatures near the earth's surface to control building temperatures above ground.

Producer regions: The United States generates more geothermal electricity than any other country but the amount of electricity it produces is less than 1 percent of electricity produced in United States.

Other geothermal energy producers are: Mexico, Italia, Japan and New Zealand.