Lesson 1, Topic 1
In Progress
Geothermal Energy

Geothermal (renewable or not??)
- A USA agency estimates total energy available to be ~15,000 x energy in all known oil and gas reserves in the world
- always be available when it is needed
- not always available where it is needed

Geothermal Power
- steam brought up from reservoir
- directed past turbines
- shaft of turbine turns generator
- spinning magnets of generator convert rotational energy into electricity
- depleted steam condensed and re injected

Direct heat energy: geothermal
- Where sufficient accessible geothermal energy is present it can be used for:
- heating buildings (individually or whole towns)
- raising plants in greenhouses
- drying crops
- heating water (ie fish farms)
- industrial processes (ie pasteurizing milk)
Geothermal heat pumps
- shallow ground (upper 3m) maintains a temperature between 10 -16°C
- in certain countries this is:
- warmer than the air above it in winter
- cooler than the air above it in summer
- heat exchange occurs via:
- a system of pipes buried in shallow ground
- a fluid (water and anti freeze) circulates through the pipes to absorb or relinquish heat within the ground
