Harnessing Geothermal for Electricity Generation
Harnessing Geothermal for Electricity Generation
Geothermal power is the energy generated by the heat stored undergound. As of 2007, only 1% world energy comes from this source.
Primary advantage of Geothermal energy over fossil fuel sources is no purchase of fuel. Also from a environment standpoint emission are small. Since heat extraced is small compared to the size of the reservior harnessing Geothermal for electricity is sustainable. Additionally, geothermal power plants are unaffected by changing weather conditions. Geothermal power plants work continuously, day and night making them very reliable. Geothermal energy is extremly price competitive and and reduces reliance of fosil fuels and inherit price predictability. Geothermal power is scalable such that smaller power plants can power remote villages and larger power plants can power entire cities.
The major disadvantages are geothermal fluid is corrosive. Geothermal fluids relatively low temperature (compared to the steam from boilers) limits the efficiency of heat engines in turn limits the heat extracting property for electricity generation. The environment concerns for construction of geothermal power plant are affect of land stability in surrounding region where water is injected into hot dry rock where there were no water before. Hot water from the power plant contain small amounts of dangerous elements mercury, arsenic, antimony that are disposed into nearby rivers. However, there can be emission-trolling systems installed to reduce these dangerous elements. There is also the posibility of geothermal sites many eventually cool down. This in turn may reduce the power production over time.
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