Advantages and Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy is formed by the elements already found on our planet, and it is a very good source of Renewable Energy. Geothermal Energy is a kind of thermal energy that is found in the interior part of the Earth's crust. The temperature at this innermost part of the Earth can reach above 4000 degrees Celcius, equivalent to 7200 Fahrenheit. The temperature present in the Earth's crust is extremely high, which causes some rocks and minerals to melt and liquefy other solid materials.

Geothermal Energy and Geothermal Heating have been prevalent in this world for a long time. The existence of hot springs, which are used for bathing all around the world, is the perfect example of the use of Geothermal Energy. Geothermal Energy is also used as a mode of electricity generation known Geothermal Power. The cost of generating electricity through Geothermal resources was huge around the time it was introduced to the world, but it reduced to almost 25 % during the 1980s and 1990s.

Geothermal Energy and its ample applications have been a major factor in the progress of human beings. In ancient times no one had even thought it would be possible to harvest and produce energy through natural resources. Geothermal Energy has its origin in the Greek culture, and it is a combination of two words that are "Geo," which means "Earth," and "Thermal," which means "Energy." The formation of this form of energy occurs deep 1800 miles inside the crust of the Earth. Some many rocks and bi-materials are present at that surface, and the heat and liquids found within those rocks can be termed as the source of Geothermal Energy, and it reaches the surface of the Earth through water or steam.

Generation of Geothermal Energy

As we move inwards to the core area of the Earth, it can be observed that the temperature increases exponentially. This phenomenon of temperature increase is termed a Geothermal Gradient. This geothermal gradient increases at a measure of 25 Degrees Celcius with every 1 Kilometer towards the Earth's core. This temperature increase phenomenon makes the Earth's core the hottest part of our planet. The temperature at the core can rise above 5000 degrees Celcius and this excessive temperature is the primary source of the creation of Geothermal Energy. This heat radiates outwards away from the core because it is a fundamental quality of heat, which results in the warming of various geographical entities like water bodies, rocks, and gases. This heat plays a major role in the decay of radioactive materials.

The lower crust area of the Earth doesn't get as heated as the other inner surfaces. When the rocks and other formations found in the mantle of the Earth's inner crust get transformed into a magma state, the temperature gets heated upto 700 to 1300 degrees Celcius. The rocks get molten, and the gases and gas bubbles seep inside these molten rocks. This combination of molten rocks and gases erupts like lava on the Earth's surface. The magma formed at the Earth's inner crust results in the melting of nearby rocks, ultimately resulting in the emission of Geothermal Energy on the Earth's surface in various forms throughout the globe. The various sources of Geothermal Energy are Hot Water Geysers, Natural Water Stream Vents, Lava emitting from volcanoes, and dry heat. The heat obtained from these Geothermal Energy sources can be preserved and utilized directly for many useful purposes. The main application of Geothermal energy steam is that it can generate electricity.

Uses of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy is a very rich and easily accessible source of energy. Around the globe, more than 20 countries benefit from the fruits of Geothermal Energy. Amongst these countries, the United States of America is the largest generator of Geothermal Energy. The USA focuses a lot on Geothermal Energy and has dedicated many resources to making extensive Geothermal Fields.

There are a lot of ample uses for Geothermal Energy, and it can be used in many areas of development and welfare. The broad ways in which Geothermal Energy is utilized can be divided into three main categories. These three categories are:

1. Geothermal Energy's Direct Uses

Geothermal Energy is obtained from low-temperature Geothermal Resources and is utilized for various purposes like therapeutic spas, natural hot springs, greenhouses, and aquaculture ponds. This kind of Geothermal Energy that is less heated when procured acts as a perfect medium for cooking. It also has some natural benefits to it because of the gases. It can also be used for pasteurizing milk and letting fruits and vegetables dry for industrial purposes. Geothermal Energy in its direct form can also be utilized as timber in industries. This way of the utilization of Geothermal Energy is the most common one.

2. Electricity and Power Generation

The production of electricity is one of the most vital and significant uses of Geothermal Energy. Geothermal Energy is a renewable energy source released from the Earth and comes into human existence through different techniques like a flash, binary, and dry steam. All the Geothermal Energy can't get released from the Earth's Crust or is obtained naturally through bubbles in the magma or streams or water bodies like natural hot springs. The remaining Geothermal Energy is procured from artificial or manufactured sources like thermal plants.

In the process of power production through Geothermal Energy, a well gets dug into the Earth's surface within one or two miles of the ground. The power is finally produced when Geothermal Energy released from the well is introduced with steam, and hot water is introduced into it. The energy generated is used to run turbines connected to electricity generators.

Using Geothermal Energy as a source of power generation is becoming very prevalent worldwide because Geothermal Energy is a very good source of renewable energy and is also cost-efficient compared to the other ways of energy generation. All these features and benefits of this form of energy have made other countries turn their eyes toward it. Out of all the countries in the world, some countries like The United States of America, Indonesia, and the Philippines successfully and amicably use Geothermal Energy in their various sectors. Developing nations like Kenya and Turkey have accepted the benefits of Geothermal Energy and are trying to adapt by installing multiple Geothermal Energy Plants across their respective countries.

The dry steam technique is one of the three techniques through which renewable energy sources, like Geothermal Energy, are extracted from the Earth's surface and are converted or transformed into a rich energy source. In this technique, Geothermal Energy is extracted from the surface of the Earth. The steam that is released from the Earth as a source of Geothermal Energy gets a change in its composition and is converted into raw power with the help of turbines and generators. After the Geothermal Energy obtained from the steam is successfully converted into power that can be utilized, the Geothermal Energy is injected into the Earth's surface.

3. Heat Pumps that Geothermal Energy Runs

Geothermal Energy heat pumps are known as Geothermal Heat Pumps or GHPs. How these Geothermal Heat Pumps work is very innovative and simple, they operate on the Geothermal Energy that is found in the proximity of 300 meters from the Earth's most exterior surface. The ideal temperature of the Geothermal Energy found within this short range of 300 meters is not very high and is considered moderate. Geothermal Heat Pump has a completely different system regarding their mechanism and how it works. It consists of a pump and many pipes installed inside the ground, and these sets of pumps and pipes work as the catalyst to transfer heat energy from the air found on the surface to within the Earth. These Geothermal Heat Pumps have a very definitive use. GHPs are mainly installed within buildings and industrial areas or residential apartments. GHPs draw warm air from such buildings and keep the premises cool during summer. The stored warm air by the GHP during the summer is used during the winter to keep the same premises warm.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy

Out of the ample number of advantages of Geothermal Energy in every field, some of them are listed:

• The water found is a rich and natural source of Geothermal Energy. It can be used in vital daily activities like bathing, cooking, or keeping oneself warm in cold areas. Around the globe, thousands of hot springs are naturally found and preserved for the best usage. In some countries like Japan, there are more than five thousand such natural hot springs, and people participate and enjoy them as part of their culture.
• Geothermal Heating Pumps are a very important and significant innovation in Geothermal Energy. GHPs can be used as a form of power heater and also can be used as a form of air conditioning device. It is very efficient and energy-saving, requiring 25 to 50% less electricity than the other conventional systems. It is also very environmentally friendly because it emits fewer greenhouse gases.
• The GHPs that use Geothermal Energy to provide warmth and coldness are installed in many buildings, sidewalks, and parking lots to maintain adequate temperatures according to the weather.
• Geothermal Energy is one of the richest sources of green energy obtained from the Earth's surface. No trace of greenhouse gases is found in the sources of Geothermal Energy. Therefore, Geothermal Energy is safe and sustainable for our planet and the entities living on it. It is also non-harmful to human health.
• The systems associated with Geothermal Energy are very adaptive to any conditions, which is the biggest reason they are found in various countries all across the globe.
• The most positive feedback of Geothermal Energy is that it is very useful in countries with cold climates. Such countries use Geothermal Energy to get adequate heat for maintaining Greenhouses and heating water for irrigation.
• There are a lot of cold countries that use the fruits provided by Geothermal Energy. Amongst all these cold climate countries, Iceland is the one that uses the most Geothermal Energy for heating purposes as it has extremely cold conditions, and the buildings present there can't be heated by any other measure.
• The most important advantage of using Geothermal Energy is that it can't be exploited like other energy sources. Geothermal Energy is a completely renewable and carbon-free source of energy. It is highly eco-friendly and with an increase in its usage, the health and livelihood of every living being can be improved.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

We have learned that Geothermal Energy is very useful and has many beneficial effects on our world. Countries across the globe are changing very rapidly in their approach to everything, which is why it is important to know everything about Geothermal Energy, including its disadvantages. Some disadvantages of Geothermal Energy are listed:

• Many harmful gases are emitted when Geothermal Energy is procured from the surface of the Earth. Gases like Sulphur Dioxide and Hydrogen Sulphide can cause harmful and hazardous effects on health.
• The extraction and the process of obtaining Geothermal Energy are very natural, and it deals a lot with the Earth's surface, which is the biggest reason that the areas in which the Geothermal plants are located experience a lot of seismic activities and are constantly threatened by earthquakes.
• The power plants that use Geothermal Energy for all their functioning and day-to-day operations can also be a risk to their surrounding areas. The energy utilized in such power plants is very high, and one of the most significant properties of Geothermal Energy is its heating ability. This heavy usage of such heated energy forms results in damaging the roads and buildings that are located nearby. It also tends to damage pipelines and natural drainage systems.
• One of the greatest disadvantages of Geothermal Energy is that its extraction requires a very complex mechanism of digging the Earth's surface and penetrating it with heavy drills and other extraction mechanisms. The Geothermal Plants that are being installed at a large rate worldwide require a lot of human resources to get them set up properly, and it is a dangerous and life-risking method. The people involved in setting up Geothermal drills in the plants are highly exposed to falling inside the holes and risk their lives.
• The speed at which the Geothermal Energy is released from the Earth's surface is very slow and takes a lot of gradual time. It is the biggest reason that Geothermal Energy cannot be used as a primary energy source worldwide.
• Geothermal Energy is getting popular amongst countries, but many developing countries need a power source. They cannot rely on Geothermal Energy because they cannot bear the cost of installing the machinery that extracts Geothermal Energy or Geothermal Plants.

Conclusion

Geothermal Energy is a very rich source of natural energy. It comes from the deepest parts of our Earth and is formed by the slow decay of radioactive isotopes and rocks because of the high temperature at the Earth's core.

Geothermal Energy has not become a primary energy source in our lives, but it can be a future remedy to take over from the non-renewable resources we rely upon. It has its drawbacks related to health and the environment, but with proper care and research, they can be looked after, and Geothermal Energy can become the future.