When it comes to renewable energy, solar and wind are media darling, but do you know that geothermal energy is also gaining widespread popularity in the past few years. Is geothermal energy renewable? Definitely, it’s a renewable source of energy because its source, the “earth’s heat” is constantly being replenished. Mostly, the earth’s heat originates from the natural decay of radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium.
Geothermal energy is a much better option than oil or coal because there are very less greenhouse gas emissions. On an average, a geothermal power plant emits just 119 kg of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour or electricity, which is a miniscule amount as compared to any thermal or oil based power plant.
Geothermal energy is an abundant source of energy and has excellent potential. It can easily improve our energy independence and security because by using more geothermal energy, we will have to import less coal, oil, and other expensive fuels. United States is the world leader and largest producer of geothermal energy and California is nation’s geothermal energy leader.
Why is geothermal energy renewable?
Geothermal energy is mostly found along the main plate boundaries where volcanoes and earthquakes are concentrates. These processes have been going on since millions of years, and would continue to do so for millions of years in future. It’s an endless source of energy!
The world’s first geothermal power plant was established in 1904 in Landarello, Italy. The biggest geothermal power plant complex is situated in Geysers in California. These power plants are commercially viable only the areas located on the edges of tectonic plates. With advancement in technology, especially regarding drilling, there are chances of expansion of areas where viable geothermal power plants can be built.
Geothermal power plants have a lifespan of around thirty years. Geothermal energy is mostly used for heating purposes in homes. Thousands of people install geothermal heat pumps in the US and many other countries of the world. In 2012, the cost of a geothermal heat pump for an average house was around $8,000 (drilling excluded). As compared to the fossil fuels, geothermal energy is more expensive energy source, but is much cheaper than solar energy. It’s not dependent on weather like solar or wind energy. Earth’s heat is available to you on 24/7 basis in all the seasons of the year.
Most of the geothermal power plants are highly efficient with a load factor of around 90 percent. In 2012, US had 78 geothermal power plants operating on its soil, and they were producing more than 3300 MW. Even with all these advantages, geothermal energy is less attractive to many investors, as they are still interested in wind and solar energy. Currently geothermal power plants are operating in just 26 countries of the world.
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