Currently, how expensive are your electric and gas bills throughout the course of a year? It also means that we don’t have to worry about activities such as mining that come with a heavy price tag of pollution into the environment. Anytime you’re dealing with heavy digging deep under the Earth’s surface, there’s the potential of altering its structure. Ecavo.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. That’s 88 percent less space for a geothermal power plant compared to a solar farm, both sized at 1 GWh. Geothermal energy is quite different from more commonly known renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Discharge into the Earth could include sulfur dioxide and silica (well pumps). Not the case for geothermal energy. When you add high upfront costs, the potential for earthquakes (yes, we’re serious), and a few issues with sustainability, you’ve got yourself an energy source debate. Fewer moving parts mean minimal maintenance issues. Damage to underground loops (tree roots, rodents, etc.) This is because, unlike wind, solar, and hydropower, geothermal energy comes from within the earth, and we don’t need to build out collection setups over large swaths of land surface to harness it. As a result, there are only certain zones where geothermal power is an option. Here are a few to keep in mind: On the pros side, geothermal energy is a reliable source of power that has a small land footprint compared to other renewable sources, and it can be harnessed at both large and small scales. Environmentally friendly compared to gas or oil furnaces (no combustion). Geothermal energy’s downsides include high initial investments, very location specific energy, and some potentially dangerous environmental side effects, including earthquakes. Home heating and cooling: Geothermal energy offer heating and cooling functions to homeowners. Probably the biggest disadvantage to geothermal energy is that it’s incredibly location specific. Environmental impacts of geothermal energy, Usable for large and small-scale installations. Instead of harnessing the power of the sun, it draws from the internal heat source of the Earth. Geothermal energy is a renewable resource as long as the Earth exists. One of the biggest advantages of geothermal energy is that geothermal power is a very predictable and reliable source of energy, especially in comparison to other renewable energy resources like wind energy and solar energy. During the digging process, these gases are often released into the atmosphere. While the nature of geothermal energy is often what differentiates it from solar and wind, there’s also one other thing of note – geothermal is very reliable. Geothermal energy using wells requires an incredible usage of water. The unfortunate reality is that geothermal energy is struggling to compete with other energy production methods. It’s highly unlikely that geothermal energy will become irrelevant or impossible. If you’re like most, they typically fluctuate heavily with the different seasons. ENERGYSAGE and the EnergySage logo, are trademarks owned by EnergySage, LLC. Below, we’ll discuss in more detail the pros and cons of geothermal energy. Top pros and cons of geothermal energy. As always, though, there are downsides that must be considered. Here are a few to keep in mind: Pros and cons of geothermal energy Some geothermal energy cons include high upfront cost, the requirement to be near a geothermal energy source, and the need for water or steam. https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/re-geo-elec-production.html, https://www.go-gba.org/resources/green-building-methods/geothermal-energy/, http://www.geothermalgenius.org/blog/why-geothermal-is-environmentally-friendly, http://www.livescience.com/32879-what-happens-to-earth-when-sun-dies.html. However, any type of natural disaster usually comes with the potential for life-threatening accidents. Proudly Serving Berks, Lehigh, Lancaster, Montgomery, Chester, and beyond! Geothermal Heat Pumps vs. This is due to the decay of radioactive materials millions of years ago. Not weather dependent like solar or wind power; geothermal heat pumps work year-round. The high upfront development costs associated with geothermal power plants is largely a function of the difficulty and cost of drilling deep into the earth to access geothermal reservoirs. Geothermal energy as we know it first arose in Italy during the early 20thcentury. Long lifespan (25 years for indoor components, 50+ for underground loop system). Again, you just have to be willing to make the upfront investment. For reference, National Geographic estimates that a geothermal power plant capable of producing 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity would take up approximately 404 square miles of land surface, while a wind farm at the same energy output would need about 1,335 square miles, and a solar farm would need about 2,340 square miles. Contrary to solar and wind, geothermal energy is a very predictable source of energy. As the name implies, geothermal energy refers to types of energy that are generated via thermal sources within the earth. It will be interesting to see what society can come up with as we continue to dive further into geothermal energy research. Besides being renewable and mostly sustainable, it’s also very reliable, doesn’t require fuel, and has a strong upside for residential homeowners. Electricity is still needed to operate heat pumps. Whether or not you believe in global warming, geothermal energy advancement will be a strong candidate as a part of Earth’s long-term energy solution. More suitable for new home builds as retrofitting involves large scale excavation. However, its carbon footprint is rather tiny in comparison to fossil fuel energy production. Whether or not you believe in global warming, geothermal energy advancement will be a strong candidate as a part of Earth’s long-term energy solution. Until technology improves, this is likely to stay the case for at least the next several years. This just means that geothermal power has to be effectively managed. Even though you save money utilizing it in the long run, the high upfront costs are a major deterrent. It is not consumed, but rather it is harnessed and converted to electricity. We highlight technology and ideas in energy sustainability, environmental science, universe exploration & outdoor appreciation. Quieter operation because of no outdoor compressor or fan. On par with other green energy sources, geothermal energy is at the forefront of exploration. Geothermal Energy vs. What? High upfront costs with implementing geothermal energy. Harnessing geothermal energy comes with some key advantages and disadvantages. It has plenty of advantages if you happen to be in area where it can be harnessed, but outside of that, it’s very lackluster. Geothermal energy is most commonly referred to as a green energy source. Some homeowners may find that their energy savings may struggle to reach 30%, which can make it a challenge to offset the costs of the system. For the most part, these earthquakes aren’t dangerous due to the location of most geothermal power plants. This makes geothermal not only renewable but also sustainable. Technology behind geothermal energy will only continue to improve in efficiency. Similar to nuclear, they can be very expensive. We don’t have to worry about the fluctuation of wind, overcast days, or total darkness. Heating systems won’t dangerously turn off when out of gas or oil like standard furnaces. Unfortunately, geothermal power plants can’t be built anywhere. As a renewable and green energy source, it proves to be an attractive option for many. This is why the vast majority of U.S. geothermal power plants are in California: the state lies close to an active fault zone that is part of the larget “ring of fire” around the Pacific Ocean. Solar and wind energy are largely considered unpredictable. The high temperature beneath the earth’s surface can produce an enormous amount of energy that could produce several gigawatts of electricity. Even compared to combined-cycle gas plants, geothermal energy is four to six times as expensive initially. These reservoirs are replenished when rainwater makes it way down from the surface. New technology continues to come out that improves the energy production process, which makes it a more attractive option as the years go by. You can’t always estimate how much energy can be produced on a given day. This has many positive implications, notably that geothermal power is an appropriate source for meeting baseload energy demand. If you buy a product at Amazon after clicking one of our links, we may earn a commission. No waste products produced during generation of geothermal power. In theory, if we use the fluid at a faster rate than it is replaced, then we will eventually deplete the supply. These are just a few of the upsides to geothermal energy. Yes, you read that right. It results in significant savings. While the production of geothermal energy typically doesn’t release any greenhouse gases, there are plenty below the Earth’s surface that can’t be ignored. Meanwhile, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, geothermal energy has grown in terms of global usage over the course of the past decade, with geothermal wells, dug miles deep into the Earth, allowing access to st… Efficient (300- 500% compared to 90% of the best furnaces).
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