Geothermal and Ground Source
Geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable energy resource which is harvested from heat sources with in the Earth. Most power plants need steam to generate electricity. The steam rotates a turbine that activates a generator, which produces electricity. Many power plants still use fossil fuels to boil water for steam. Geothermal power plants, however, use steam produced from reservoirs of hot water found a couple of miles or more below the Earth’s surface.
Geothermal electricity production
Power plants use steam to turn turbines to generate electricty. Traditional power plants use the burning of fossil fuels to generate the steam required. Geothermal power stations use steam from hot water sources beneath the earths surface.
Direct geothermal use
Heat from geothermal reservoirs is used directly to provide heat.
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Geothermal power is the power which is obtained from the heat which is stored inside the earth. Geothermal power is also obtained from the solar energy which is absorbed on the earth’s surface and even from the radioactive decaying of specific minerals. These geothermal power stations can produce power of upto 10 to 20 giga watts. This is an eco friendly and environment friendly source of producing power which is well known for its reliability and economy. The hot gases which is present and trapped deep inside the earth is collected from the geothermal wells. These hot gases are used to rotate the steam turbine which converts the steam energy into electrical energy. The geothermal stations are mainly situated far away from populated area and mainly located in isolated areas because the hot gases which is collected from deep inside the earth has harmful constituents like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide which mainly causes global warming and acid rains. This is the harmful hazard caused by the geothermal power stations.
Ground source refers to the crystalline sediment which is obtained from the earth’s surface, river beds and sea beds. Mainly these ground sources are formed from the solidification of the molten lava. Some of the examples of ground source are the andesite, porphyrit crystals, clay, limestone, calcite, graphite, silica, mica, sandstone, titanium, kimberlite, iron ore, coal, copper ore etc. They are also obtained from sedimentary rocks and stones. All these ground masses are used to make cement and other radioactive materials. These ground masses are also used to make metal items like steel, stainless steel, and copper. They are also used to make gold, diamond ornaments. Ground sources like coal and naphtha are used to generate electricity with the help of thermal power stations.
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