13-02-2013, 10:42 AM
A TECHNICAL SEMINAR ON GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.ppt (Size: 5.94 MB / Downloads: 1,165)
Geothermal Energy: Introduction
What is geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy- energy that comes from the ground; power extracted from heat stored in the earth
Geo: earth
Thermal: heat
How Geothermal Works
Earth’s core heat
Water → steam → drive electrical generators
Turbines
Area specific
Geothermal energy is localized
Geothermal Energy: History
Used for bathing in Paleolithic times
Ancient Romans used it as a central heating system for bathing and heating homes and floors
1892: America’s first district heating system was put into place
Environmental Effects/ Benefits
Remarkable difference of environmental effects compared to fossil fuels
Leaves almost no footprints
Most hardware used to extract geothermal energy is underground
Minimal use of surface
What evidence supports geothermal?
New facilities produce electricity for $.045/kW hour
Price is declining compared to price of fossil fuels, which is increasing
The US can produce and 950,000 megawatts of power but are currently only producing 2,800 megawatts of power
This number is going to constantly increase with new technologies and research
Conclusion
Overall, geothermal appears to be a sound solution to energy needs
Geothermal energy has the ability to expand
Few environmental effects
Very cost efficient
Geothermal is RENEWABLE