The Many Biofriendly Advantages of Geothermal Power Generation
Submitted by: Meritus Media Inc
2008-02-11 15:46:06
Geothermal energy means energy derived from heat inside the Earth. That heat can be used to boil water and drive steam turbines that turn generators to make electricity. This is exactly what is done at The Geysers power plants, 72 miles North of San Francisco, in California. (1)
Geothermal power generation has many advantages over traditional fossil fuel-based plants. A huge advantage is that no fuel is required. And, as anyone living near an active volcano can attest, there is plenty of heat in the Earth and this energy source is not likely to run out any time soon. The fact that no fuel is burned also means that the energy is clean and biofriendly. The steam that drives the turbines can be condensed and turned back into water. And, unlike wind or solar power, geothermal energy is constant and does not depend on weather conditions.
The Geysers is the largest geothermal operation in the world. Built in 1960, it produces more than 750 megawatts, which is enough electricity to power about 750,000 homes. Another geothermal power complex in South Central California has a capacity of about 570 megawatts. Geothermal plants in Nevada total about 235 megawatts. Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii and Utah also have geothermal projects. (2)
Over 20 other countries are using geothermal plants, including Iceland, Russia, New Zealand and the Philippines. While many of these plants generate electrical power, others produce hot water for heating homes.
Many homes now have their own individual geothermal systems that heat the home in winter and cool it in summer, providing significant energy savings. This is based on the fact that the temperature is relatively constant throughout the year at about 10 feet underground. In simple terms, here is how it works. A refrigerator has a cold side and a hot side. A so-called heat pump makes the inside of the refrigerator cold by moving heat to a radiator just behind it. Similarly, in summer you cool a house geothermally by pumping the heat from the house into the underground pipes outside. In winter, you reverse the process and pump heat from the underground pipes into the house. (3)
Geothermal power production holds much promise, especially in the geologically active Pacific Rim. While geothermal plants cost more to build than conventional coal-fired plants, the power can be competitively priced, as there are no fuel costs. Geothermal ranks well among other renewable energy sources.
Even so, it will take time for this technology to be fully exploited. At this time fossil fuel is still the predominant energy source and it is important to use it effectively, both for environmental reasons and because it is in limited supply. The Green Plus® liquid fuel catalyst from Biofriendly Corporation contributes to that effort by causing a cleaner, more linear burn, which reduces harmful emissions and improves fuel economy.
For more information about Green Plus, visit the Biofriendly Corporation website at http://www.biofriendly.com.
