What Are The Pros And Cons Of Using Geothermal Energy?
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by: JustinWhitmen | Total views: 25 | Word Count: 517
Volcanic regions in the earth are usually found where continental plates collide. There are a few of these areas on earth. In these places are shallow zones found below the earth's surface that are exceptionally hot. Ground water that finds its way into these zones of high heat turn to superheated steam. When someone digs a hole that is deep enough to reach this zone, steam will surely rush up and explode violently high into the air. Well, what has been described is not really surprising because we know the same thing happens when volcanoes erupt.
The term used to refer to the heat of the earth is called geothermal energy. To be able to use this natural resource requires digging of very deep wells that are targeted to reach depths where pressurized steam is abundant. From the wells, special pipes bring the steam to power plants that contain the electric generators.
One of the most well known pros of the resource is its renewability. Since the resource is basically steam, rainwater that percolates into the rocks of the volcanic field renews what was extracted. You only have to look at Lardello in ltaly which is where the world's first operating geothermal power plant is found. The steam field was first utilized in 1911 and is still producing electricity now.
Power generation using heat deep inside the earth is said to possess the smallest footprint of all the major ways of producing electricity. Oil is drilled in Alaska, travels to a pipeline thousands of miles long before it reaches the U. S. Uranium is mined, is shipped to processing plants, and the finished product is transported to power plants. Then nuclear waste, which remains harmful for hundreds of years, have to be properly disposed. Coal, well, we all know that coal has a very big footprint, even bigger than oil. Hydroelectric dams often floods pristine land for miles.
The argument of geothermal power's footprint size is based on the fact that where the resource is extracted and the power plant that uses the resource are always found in vicinity of each other. This means that the affected land area for producing geothermal power is compact therefore its impact on the environment is also small. The other methods of generating electricity are not as compact.
This natural resource do have its cons. Volcanic areas are highly mineralized. Sulphur, salt, boron, and other chemicals are dissolved in hot water. These impurities have to taken out in the steam or else it would corrode the power plant equipment. These impurities are pollutants and will contaminate the soil and flowing water.
There are two factors that are considered to be the biggest cons for this using this natural heat as a source of generating electricity and no, pollution is not one of them. One is cost. It is very expensive to dig the very deep wells that are able to reach very hot, pressurized steam. The other factor is that locations that contain zones of shallow heat are rare. But innovations in technology will one day surmount the barriers that prevent the wider utilization of geothermal energy.
About the Author
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