After solar energy basics now take a little time to make
yourself aware about the geothermal energy system. It is also a renewable
energy source i.e, it is clean, it is generated without the use of fossil
fuels and it can be replenished.
As the name suggests geothermal means heat from The Earth.
Various sources of the geothermal energies are used depending on the scale of
usage. It is clean and renewable source of energy. This is considered renewable
because the solar energy, the heat in side the earth practically limitless and
expected to remain so for billion of years.
As we all know the center of the earth is very hot compared
to the surface. The heat from the core of the earth is continuously flowing
upwards. It sometime brings lava and magma along with it. But most of the time
the heat is remained inside and as a result the rocks and water which is inside
is become very much heated. This temperature at times can reach about 700F. due
to the immense pressure at tis temperature also the water remains in liquid
form. This hot water layer trapped inside the earth is called geothermal water
reservoir.
Now this geothermal water reservoir are used to produce
energy in different forms. It can be used to generate electricity, to warm up
industrial, commercial and residential buildings.
To bring the water to the surface, wells are drilled to the
reservoirs. This very hot water then taken to a geothermal power plant and the
heat is converted to the electricity. It can also used without involving the
power plant. This type of use of geothermal energy was practiced way back in
ancient roman times. It includes space heating, bathing, food preparation, uses
in green houses etc.
We have seen animals burrow underground for warmth in the winter
and also during extreme heat in summer. This same principle is used in
Geothermal heating pumps. It provide heating to the building in winter and takes
out extra heat from the building and deposit it to the earth during the hot
summer. As these system draw heat from the ground they are much more energy
efficient than any traditional heating system. It can reduce the energy
consumption of the traditional heating and cooling system by 30 -50%.
The variety of the resources allows them to use in different
scales from heating a single house to generating electricity for a industrial
complex.
Hope you have a better idea on geothermal energy after
reading this article. Would like to hear your voices on this.
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