Overview of Geothermal Energy
In order to power our world, there are many different types of energy available. For years, the power of burning fossil fuels have been used by people such as coal (also used to produce steam power) to create energy. There has been a shift to using renewable resources to create the energy we need in recent times. Included in these resources are hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, biomass energy and geothermal energy. The first four of these resources are what many people may know about but geothermal energy is less well-known.
The word geothermal comes from two Greek words, "geo" and "therme". The meaning of these words are earth and heat and this also describes what geothermal is. From the heat of the Earth deep underground comes an energy and this is referred to as geothermal energy. Chemical reactions create massive amounts of heat in the Earth's core and it is about 4,000 miles below the Earth's surface. Reaching up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit are the temperatures in this core and this extreme heat can then be used to produce energy.
While these are the basics of geothermal energy, there are many other parts in the process to make this sort of energy usable. Tapping into the Earth's core in order to receive this heat is what we can't do and there are many reasons for this. So instead, people must create systems that harness the residual heat that is in the magma (molten rock) under the Earth's crust. These water stores can reach up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit and this heat is able to be used by tapping into the water reservoirs that are within the magma. Think of Old Faithful in Yellowstone.
Into the superheated water contained within the Earth's magma, or the geothermal reservoir, a well can be drilled down. Once these geothermal reservoirs are tapped into, the heated water and steam can rise to the surface, and be used to power geothermal power plants as well as in smaller scale projects for personal household use. When used in geothermal power plants, the steam from the heated underground water is often used to power turbines, which then generate energy which can be harnessed as electricity.
Energy can be created that can be used on a small or large scale when Earth's own heat and water is used. This renewable resource (you can't deplete the Earth's heat!) is also cleaner and safer than many other types of energy, making it a great type of ecologically sound energy source.
