Geothermal Energy

Physical Mechanics Term Paper

Keabetswe Mosupukwa - 643062

Fall 2014

Introduction

Geothermal energy is energy harnessed from natural resources from the earth, mainly heat from shallow ground to hot water and hot rock located beneath the earth's surface. It can even go deeper to molten rock called magma. It is the regarded as one of the cleanest and most sustainable types of energy as it is derived from the earth's natural resources. This is also made possible due to the fact that the sun heats the earth both directly and indirectly, as seen when water evaporates from water bodies, then eventually falls back to earth in the form rain and is filtered back into the ground where it remains warm because the soil acts as insulate.

Historically it was difficult to tap into geothermal energy as it was only limited to locations close to tectonic plate boundaries, but with recent technological advances the range has expanded to a number of areas for purposes such as home heating, this creates unlimited potential for global use.

Geothermal energy also has the potential to alleviate the global warming catastrophe if it was to be used as a replacement for fossil fuels on wide scale.

This research paper aims to explore the following:

1.) Types of geothermal power plants

2.) Advantages and Disadvantages of Geothermal energy

3.) Economics Costs and Benefits of Geothermal Energy

4.) Geothermal Locations

Types Of Geothermal Power Plants

Electrical Generators are run by large turbines on geothermal power plants which are turned using steam. Dry steam is used directly in the steam turbines in the geysers geothermal area, where as in other areas super hot water is flashed into steam that turns the turbine within the power plant. There are two types geothermal energy, vap