Geothermal power comes from energy stored inside of the earth itself to provide clean, green energy with out adding to climate change. It is much more cost effective as well as scalable compared to wind turbines and solar panels and is a lot safer than nuclear fission. So whenever hunting for an option to traditional fuels, give geothermal energy a chance.
Picture a future totally free of fossil energy sources, a world where all of us are not shackled by oil or harming the environment by burning coal. With geothermal power this vision is actually achievable today. Geothermal energy operates by tapping into the power of the earth itself to create clean, dependable energy which does not make use of natural resources and will be around for future generations. Plus, as opposed 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 extremely important tool in the battle against climate change.
But exactly how does geothermal energy work and also just what makes this any better than various other forms of renewable power like wind farms or solar plants? Well to put it simply, the earth is hot. In addition to the actual energy soaked up daily by the sun, the earth’s core has ample energy left over from its formation and from the radioactive decay of elements to cover the whole human population’s power consumption many 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 warmed naturally and the energy is converted into electrical power. They create serious sums of electrical energy too, with ten gigawatts created in 2007. Even though this is only a small amount of the worldwide total, geothermal energy use is increasing daily as more and more countries change over to sustainable sources of electricity.
Unlike nuclear energy plants, geothermal wells produce no hazardous radioactive waste that needs to be moved and stored and it has advantages over other non-fossil fuel sources as well. Solar panels and wind turbines, while still excellent sources of green energy, are pricey and cannot be scaled up to the extent that geothermal power plants can. Geothermal pumps can range from a small device designed to power a single home to large utility plants that can power an entire town. Plus it is a time tested technology that has been around for millennia. 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 healing properties that the heat supplied.
As you can see, geothermal energy has a lot to offer in an more and more sustainable society. It is entirely green, creates very little waste, is carbon-neutral, and it is a cost efficient method of generating electricity without adding to global warming. For these reasons geothermal energy is regarded a serious alternative to solar, wind, nuclear, and especially fossil fuels as an energy source.
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