Five Advantages of Geothermal Energy

There are many reservoirs of water beneath the Earth's surface. They can be used to produce steam that powers turbines and generators that generate electricity. There are many benefits of using this method to create power. This article will discuss some of the advantages of geothermal energy.

Pollution

One of the biggest advantages of geothermal energy is pollution. The method used to generate electricity creates no harmful emissions. It also helps reduce the use of fossil fuels, which in turn will reduce emissions into the atmosphere. Another benefit is the supply of energy available to use.

Supply

One of the other advantages of geothermal energy is the abundant supply. It is virtually inexhaustible. The temperature a few miles beneath the Earth's surface is nearly 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This provides plenty of natural heat to create geothermal energy. Another benefit of power plants that use geothermal energy is the amount of land they require.

Land

The low amount of land required for power plants is another one of the advantages of geothermal energy. Other forms of energy production require damming of rivers, forest harvesting, mine shafts, or tunnels. Power stations that use geothermal energy do not take up much room. They are built directly over the energy source and can easily provide heat or electricity to nearby areas. In addition to the little amount of land they need, these power plants are also very reliable.

Reliability

Some methods of energy production rely on water levels and wind strength. One of the advantages of geothermal energy is that it can be used to produce electricity 24 hours a day. It is also more resistant to weather-related power outages and natural disasters. If the level of steam drops too low, pumps can be used to inject water back into hot rock to generate more steam.

Production Costs

One of the last advantages of geothermal energy is the production cost. Power plants have very low running costs. They only require enough energy to run a water pump. This energy can be created by the power plant itself.

There are many advantages of using geothermal energy to create electricity.

Credit: Bruce Boughton

Copyright: Bruce Boughton