Geothermal energy comes from energy located within the earth itself in order to provide clean, green energy without contributing to climate change. It is more cost effective and also scalable when compared with wind generators and solar panels and is actually significantly safer than nuclear fission. So when hunting for an alternative to fossil fuels, give geothermal power a chance.
Imagine a future free of fossil energy sources, a world where we are not shackled by oil or polluting our environment by burning coal. With geothermal energy this vision is actually possible today. Geothermal energy operates by tapping into the power of the earth itself to create clean, dependable power which does not use natural resources and will always be around for future years. Plus, in contrast to fossil fuel energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal, geothermal energy is, for the most part, carbon neutral. This makes it a really important tool in the battle against climate change.
But exactly how does geothermal power function and what makes this any far better than other kinds of alternative power like wind farms or solar plants? Well to put this simply, the earth is hot. In addition to the energy soaked up daily by the sun, the earth’s core has sufficient energy left over from its formation and from the radioactive decay of elements to cover the complete human population’s power consumption numerous times over. Geothermal plants, such as those in Southampton, harness this particular power by drilling deep beneath the earth’s surface and pumping water down the hole. This water is then heated naturally and the energy is transformed into electrical power. They produce serious amounts of electrical energy too, with ten gigawatts produced in 2007. Even though this is actually just a small quantity of the global total, geothermal energy use is increasing daily as more and more countries change over to environmentally friendly sources of electricity.
In contrast to nuclear energy plants, geothermal wells create absolutely no dangerous radioactive waste materials that needs to be transported and stored and it has advantages over other non-fossil fuel sources as well. Solar panels and wind turbines, while still excellent sources of renewable energy, are costly and can’t be scaled up to the extent that geothermal plants can. Geothermal pumps can range from a small device designed to power a single house to big utility plants that can power an entire city. Additionally it is a time tested technology that has been around for many years. In fact, the Romans even relied on geothermal wells to heat their famous baths and floors such as those found in Bath in Somerset. The early Chinese dynasties tapped into the power of hot springs as well and took advantage of the medicinal qualities that the heat supplied.
As you can see, geothermal energy has a lot to provide in an more and more sustainable society. It is completely renewable, produces very little waste, is carbon-neutral, and it is a cost effective method of generating electricity without adding to global warming. For these reasons geothermal energy is considered a serious alternative to solar, wind, nuclear, and especially fossil fuels as an energy source.
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