Geothermal EnergySharon Kovars

Block 3A

What is it? How does it work?

• Geothermal energy comes from the heat energy from the rocks inside Earth. The word geothermal means “heat from the ground.”

• It works by pumping water from the ground and releasing steam. The steam generates turbines, which makes energy.

Past and Present Uses

• Since 1960, people have been using geothermal energy, particularly in northern California.

• Geothermal energy is being used for bathing, cooking, and heating buildings.

People soaking in a hot springs

Environmental Impacts

• Pros: Geothermal energy is good for the environment. It is renewable and clean.

• Cons: Low levels of carbon dioxide are given off. Large amounts amount of land are used for geothermal plants.

Societal Impacts

• Pros: Geothermal energy provides energy day and night, all year long.

• Cons: A lot of places don’t have geothermal water. The release of steam from the power plants can be noisy. It can also take a long time to heat and reheat.

Societal Impacts Continued

• Cost: The cost of geothermal power does not fluctuate like oil and gas prices and it costs less overall compared to a gas or coal power plant.

Societal Impacts Continued

• Safety: When drilling, you should be careful because where you drill is where the earthquakes are found. So, they are drilling more shallow to avoid disturbing the area.

Example of a geyser

Other Impacts

• There are many ways to get geothermal energy from the Earth: – Drilling a borehole into the Earth to get

geothermal water.– Heat exchange: heat is transferred from

geothermal water to clean water. The clean water absorbs heat. Then the geothermal water is returned to the ground.

– Hydrothermal: When magma comes close to the surface, ground water is trapped in porous rocks.

Opinion

• Use in Wisconsin?– No, because WI is not the

place for geysers, volcanoes, fumaroles, or hot springs.

• Use in the U.S.?– Yes, because there are

areas in the U.S. that are leaders in geothermal energy—California, Nevada, Hawaii, Idaho, and Utah.

• Use globally? – Yes, because the Ring of

Fire goes around the Pacific Ocean, where plates move and the earthquakes and volcanoes are formed. This is a place for geothermal energy.

The Pacific Ring of Fire

Sources• Saunders, N. (2008). Geothermal energy. Gareth Stevens Publishing.• EIA Energy Kids. (n.d.). Eia energy kids-geothermal. Retrieved from www.eia.gov/kids• Google. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=geothermal+energy+power+plants&num=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-

a&hs=DKd&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=851&tbm=isch&tbnid=KDRwX58zFtHQiM:&imgrefurl=http://powerplantss.com/tag/geothermal-energy-power-plants/&docid=_dbFNwiKd0NGKM&imgurl=http://powerplantss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Geothermal-Energy-Power-Plants.jpg&w=468&h=351&ei=Ye6uTvfrFZTJsQLTn8X2Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=367&vpy=156&dur=391&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=176&ty=110&sig=101905780388649077736&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=148&tbnw=195&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

• Google. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pacific+ring+of+fire+map&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&hs=JdI&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=851&tbm=isch&tbnid=z3HtD5FvB0m1WM:&imgrefurl=http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/fire.html&docid=ZpR0TiKUFh8nUM&imgurl=http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/graphics/Fig22.gif&w=1046&h=776&ei=_u2uTpDGF4rgsQLzrIWMDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=187&vpy=157&dur=18&hovh=193&hovw=261&tx=121&ty=65&sig=101905780388649077736&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=195&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

• Google. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=geothermal+energy&num=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=851&tbm=isch&tbnid=oMzjakmIjn6FUM:&imgrefurl=http://www.geo-energy.org/Basics.aspx&docid=livTpmfxnR2-YM&imgurl=http://www.geo-energy.org/images/basics_clip_image002_0006.jpg&w=420&h=280&ei=u-6uTqD6BMyFsgLs6PHYDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=381&vpy=337&dur=556&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=199&ty=158&sig=101905780388649077736&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=147&tbnw=191&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0

• Sunset Travel. http://www.sunset.com/travel/rockies/yellowstone-national-park-attractions-00400000049729/page3.html

• Google. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=hot+springs+swimming&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=851&tbm=isch&tbnid=ont6wfBux-fuMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.travelphant.com/2009/03/7-amazing-hot-springs-around-world.html&docid=T8VnfVhiLWpcsM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gfXupHOEhH0/Sa2W91YcWqI/AAAAAAAAC40/jTvzlFSqutg/s400/glenwoodsprings.jpg&w=350&h=350&ei=lPCuTq26PMyfsQL2p8ScDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=413&sig=101905780388649077736&page=4&tbnh=147&tbnw=152&start=89&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:89&tx=51&ty=64

• Blorge. http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/06/24/is-geothermal-energy-safe/• http://www.geo-energy.org/geo_basics_plant_cost.aspx#powercost