- What is geothermal energy?
- How is geothermal energy obtained?
- Advantages of geothermal energy
- Disadvantages of geothermal energy
- What is geothermal energy used for?
- Examples of geothermal energy
We explain what geothermal energy is, and how it is obtained. Its advantages and disadvantages. Examples of geothermal energy.
What is geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is a type of more or less renewable energy, of volcanic origin, that is, it consists of taking advantage of the internal heat of the Earth to extract from the subsoil waters high temperatures, from which the caloric energy or that can be used to generate electricity.
As we get closer to the core of the planet, temperatures rise considerably as there are more Pressure, plus gravity, and less distance from the core metal molten which is the heart of the Earth. For this reason, numerous deposits of boiling water can be found underground, which can be released and led to the surface, giving rise to large jets of steam, geysers and hot springs that, since ancient times, have been used by the humanity for various purposes. These types of deposits are very frequent in areas of high volcanic activity.
This type of energy is popular because it comes from a renewable source, although there are complications that can lead to the extinction of the fields. These, incidentally, can be of three types:
- Dry Steam reservoirs and gas hot, devoid of water in liquid state.
- Of hot waters. They can be sources or underground aquifers, whose waters are compressed at high temperatures.
- Geysers Thermal reservoirs whose pressure is so high that they must sporadically expel steam or boiling water towards the surface in large jets.
How is geothermal energy obtained?
As has been said, geothermal energy comes from the waters of the earth's subsoil, whose pressure and temperature occur naturally. Geothermal plants are usually installed in these fields that release water or steam, use it to generate electricity or to extract the heat and redirect it, and later they reinject water at ordinary temperature to the well, to give continuity to the cycle.
There are also more homemade ways of obtaining it, such as heating by geothermal pumps, which allows the use of gas or boiling water from the subsoil to provide heat to homes or entire buildings, if not to heat greenhouses and agricultural drying facilities.
Advantages of geothermal energy
The main advantages of this type of energy are:
- It's natural. It comes from the planet itself, so it does not pose a technological or biological risk to consider.
- It is economical. Does not require raw material constant, nor does it depend on an international input market that suddenly makes its utility more expensive.
- It is ecological. Does not throw large debris into environment, nor does it generate annoying noises, and the emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that accompany it is lower than that generated by other forms of obtaining Energylike burning fossil fuels. On the other hand, it takes advantage of modest extensions, without the need to dam rivers or cut down woods.
- Is trustworthy. In terms of the human scale, it is basically an inexhaustible source of Energy.
Disadvantages of geothermal energy
The installation of geothermal power plants often deteriorate the landscape.
At the same time, geothermal energy presents the following setbacks:
- Deterioration of scenery. The installation of the plants usually has a cost in terms of scenery, which has some impact on the sightseeing.
- Pollution hint. The water extracted from the subsoil can be accompanied by polluting substances that, when evaporated, must be disposed of in some way and can be toxic.
- It requires specific conditions. It cannot be done anywhere, but in volcanic areas (except for the geothermal air conditioning pump).
- Risk earthquakes. At times, the water re-injected into the well can cool the magma, producing microseisms and exterminating the reservoir forever.
What is geothermal energy used for?
This type of energy can be used directly, to heat buildings, dry agricultural or industrial inputs, even cook food. It is an immediate source of heat.
In geoelectric plants, on the other hand, this heat is used to boil water (or steam directly extracted from the well is used) to mobilize a complex of turbines that, as in electrical installations nuclear or that fossil fuel, generate usable electricity.
Examples of geothermal energy
Some examples of this type of energy are:
- The Geysers. A set of geoelectric plants 116 km from the town from San Francisco in the United States, considered the largest complex of its kind in the world. It can produce over 950 MW of electricity, being at 63% of its productive capacity, taking advantage of the steam emanating from more than 350 active geysers.
- The Oven-Asador de Timanfaya. In the Canary Islands, it takes advantage of the magmatic activity of the region for the oven of the restaurant "El Diablo" of artisan food, on the island of Lanzarote. This oven takes advantage of a well that goes directly into the subsoil.
- The volcanoes. The best known and most devastating natural manifestation of geothermal energy, they consist of explosions of matter from the subsoil that throw boiling magma (lava), toxic gases and ashes in suspension into the environment. They have a gigantic but unusable energy potential.