It is extraordinary to think that just beneath our feet there’s enough energy to meet all the world’s energy needs. It is an abundant resource that can be harnessed for human use. Geothermal is a clean and renewable energy source that remains underutilized despite it being a mature and proven resource. Geothermal is the most environmentally friendly energy technology, has the ability to decarbonize heating and cooling of buildings and industry, and can generate dispatchable and baseload electricity all from ample and local geothermal resources. Geothermal presents a compelling case for widespread adoption, and it must become one of the leading protagonists if we are to genuinely address the ongoing climate crisis and successfully transform into a clean energy economy.

The primary energy associated with geothermal is the heat energy that naturally exists beneath the Earth's surface! There are different ways to use the natural heat of the earth. Geothermal heat pumps (also known as ground source) utilize temperatures about two meters below the ground to heat AND cool buildings. Other geothermal technologies use heat energy several kilometres below that is at very high temperatures and is produced by the natural decay of materials within the Earth's crust. Importantly, geothermal energy is constantly replenished, therefore renewable!

Deep within the earth is the hottest part of our planet, the core, which is about 2,900 kilometres below our feet. The extremely high temperature of the core (5,200°C or 9,392°F) serves as limitless battery, recharging the heat beneath our feet that can be used to create geothermal heating, cooling, and power capabilities.

Here are some of the advantages of geothermal:

1. Geothermal is always available: Like other renewable energy sources, geothermal is essentially unlimited, but unlike intermittent renewables it is not affected by season, climate or weather conditions. This is referred to a having high capacity factor of which geothermal has the highest of all renewable energy sources making geothermal a more stable, reliable, and consistent technology. Energy generated from this resource is easy to predict with a high degree of accuracy as it doesn’t fluctuate in the same way as other renewable energy sources, such as solar, hydro, and wind. Geothermal energy is both renewable and sustainable due to the hot reservoirs within the earth being continually and naturally replenished.
2. Geothermal energy plants have a small footprint: Geothermal power plants as well as heating and cooling systems only require modest amounts of space, in contrast with the wide-ranging expanses of land and mining operations needed for intermittent, oil and gas, nuclear and coal energy. Whether it’s a domestic geothermal heat pump system or a large-scale geothermal power plant, most of the components, including the heat exchangers, are buried underground with very little remaining above ground. In homes, a geothermal heat pump is about the size of a household appliance while in geothermal power plants the largest components are the cooling towers and the turbines. Large geothermal power plants can have a visual impact on the landscape, but these days newer architectural designs minimize the visual impact on the landscape.
3. Geothermal energy provides more energy: Aside from time for maintenance, geothermal energy can work at full capacity non-stop because delivery is constant. This is very different to photovoltaic, hydroelectric and wind systems which rarely work at full capacity due to technical and environmental limitations. This means that more power is generated using less land and for the same nominal power. For example, a 9 MW geothermal plant will on average generate energy for about 5,500 homes a year whereas the average 9 MW solar plant can power only 1,800 homes per year. This translates into a lower impact on the environment, less mining for critical minerals, and reduced risk of geopolitical conflict.
4. Geothermal power plants are quiet: While working at full capacity, geothermal power plants run at negligible noise levels. As with all construction, during the building phase of the plants there will be some noise but once the construction is complete, everything runs quietly. This applies to not only geothermal heat pump systems but to larger power stations where several turbines are spinning.
5. Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly: The carbon impact of a geothermal power plant is very low. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, geothermal has the smallest lifecycle carbon footprint of all renewable energy technologies, including wind and solar. Geothermal power generation produces little—if any—nitrous oxide, methane, or sulphur dioxide in contrast with other generation technologies. Binary-cycle geothermal plants, which operate in a closed cycle, release essentially zero emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office. By utilising the earth’s natural heat, geothermal energy significantly decreases our carbon footprint contributing to cleaner air and a healthier planet.
6. Geothermal power optimises resources: Geothermal plants have components that can be salvaged and reused at the end of the installation’s lifecycle. Furthermore, during operation, the flows of energy are optimized in such a way as utilize any heat that can’t be used immediately for power generation back into the circuit using the steam pipes that power the plant, leading to greater energy efficiency. Geothermal does not require any critical minerals and all materials needed (steel and cement) are easily sourced from North America.
7. Geothermal plants are long-lasting, safe, and reliable: Geothermal heat pumps have an operating life span of over 20 years whereas a traditional furnace last just 7 to 10 years. Geothermal power plants have very long life spans, with some lasting up to 80 and even over 100 years. Geothermal power plants such as Lardarello in Italy (1913), Wairakei in New Zealand (1958), and The Geysers in California (1960) still use original operational infrastructure and wells. This is remarkable longevity when compared to a natural gas combined-cycle plant which normally lasts around 30 years. Because there are no fuels involved there is no risk of fire and overall, this type of system guarantees excellent reliability. Additionally, geothermal power plants have low operating costs once the initial infrastructure is in place making them economically competitive in the long run.
8. Geothermal plants require very little maintenance: Especially when it comes to geothermal heat pumps, geothermal applications don’t need any special maintenance. Because geothermal heat pumps are closed systems, the pressure of the fluid in the piping self-regulates and the number of electrical and mechanical elements that can break down is also minimal.
9. Geothermal can be used to both heat and cool: Geothermal systems can be installed in almost any type of building: from homes to shopping malls, public buildings, and sports centres. A geothermal heat pump is actually a two-in-one HVAC system used for both heating and cooling. Despite the misleading name, geothermal “heat pumps” are just as effective at cooling your home or office in the summer as they are at heating it in the winter!
10. Geothermal heat pumps can reduce overall energy consumption in your home: As well as providing air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, geothermal has other advantages when used in the home. For example, it can reduce energy consumption by between 30% and 70% because it can also do the job of a boiler by heating water for use in the kitchen and bathroom.
11. Geothermal improves public health: Traditional air-conditioning removes dangerous heat from buildings and provides life-saving shelter and comfort. Unfortunately, air-conditioning systems worsen two other problems. First, heat is not so much removed or eliminated as it is moved from one location to another. When a building interior is cooled, that thermal energy is transferred to the exterior surroundings. In dense urban areas, this effect increases local temperatures, exacerbating the heat wave in places that are already heat islands as a result of urbanization. A geothermal heating and cooling system can reduce building interior temperatures without heating the surrounding air space by storing and dissipating heat underground. Additionally, geothermal heat pumps are 40% more efficient than their air-source counterparts, especially at high and low temperatures. 
12. Geothermal energy creates record numbers of jobs: Geothermal creates more jobs per megawatt hour than all other renewable energy technologies, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For the same installed power, geothermal energy creates more direct and indirect employment than any other type of renewable. Geothermal creates 34 jobs per installed megawatt compared to 19 created by wind power and 12 by photovoltaic energy.
13. Geothermal pays local communities: Over the course of 30 to 50 years an average 20 MW geothermal generation facility will pay nearly $6.3 to $11 million dollars in property taxes plus $12 to $22 million in annual royalties. Seventy-five percent of these royalties ($9.2 to $16.6M) go directly back to the state and county.
14. Geothermal energy can improve energy independence and security: Geothermal energy can contribute to enhancing a nation's energy independence and security. By utilising domestic and locally sourced geothermal resources, countries can reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels and critical minerals, minimizing geopolitical risks associated with energy supply chains. Developing geothermal projects can strengthen a nation's energy portfolio and provide a stable and secure source of energy for future generations.
15. Geothermal energy has huge potential: Currently, worldwide energy consumption from geothermal resources is around 15 terawatts but the total potential energy from geothermal sources is far greater. While most of the geothermal potential is still yet untapped, there is robust research and development happening in the industry that will increase the number of recoverable geothermal resources in the future. It is estimated that new technologies to create Engineered, or Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), can add 100 gigawatts of geothermal power to the grid (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy). The 2019 GeoVision analysis concluded that, with advancements in EGS, geothermal could power more than 40 million U.S. homes by 2050 and provide heating and cooling solutions nationwide. Advancements in closed-loop or Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS) will unlock even more opportunity for geothermal. Additionally, super-hot rock (SHR) technologies have the potential to generate terawatts of power.
16. Geothermal energy use is rapidly evolving: There is growing interest and new research into geothermal innovations. New technologies, such as refined heat pumps, EGS, closed loop systems (AGS), SHR, improved drilling techniques, and more efficient turbines, are being created all the time to improve the energy process. There are an ever-increasing number of projects to improve and grow this area of industry. Within the last few years there have been over 40 geothermal energy start-ups founded in North America.

Geothermal energy has numerous advantages that make it an ideal option for a sustainable transformation to a healthier, more equitable, vibrant economy. With its renewable and clean nature, consistent availability, long-term viability, and versatile applications, geothermal energy offers a path towards a greener and more resilient and stable energy future. By embracing this remarkable resource, we can reduce our carbon footprint, combat climate change, and ensure a more sustainable and just planet for generations to come.

To learn more about harnessing the power of geothermal energy, contact Geothermal Rising, a community that advocates for the growth and deployment of geothermal energy. Founded in 1972, Geothermal Rising is a community of geologists, climate activists, oil and gas professionals, drill rig operators, environmentalists, geochemists, subsurface reservoir modelers and more. Geothermal Rising represents and speaks for an aligned geothermal industry. The non-profit is a renewable energy think tank designed to familiarize and inform audiences about the value and benefits of geothermal energy for heating and cooling as well as electricity generation. Please visit www.geothermal.org.

To learn more about renewable energy technology and how they can be deployed please visit: https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/

Solar converts the heat from the sun to produce energy. It’s gotten a lot of attention in recent years, so let’s explore the pros and cons of solar energy:

Pros:

• Solar power is low-emission. It has a very low carbon footprint and doesn’t cause damage to our environment.
• Solar power is a renewable energy source, so it can be used without “depleting” the original source of energy, i.e., the sun.
• Solar power can be produced and utilized in remote areas that are not connected to energy grids.
• Solar panels have no moving parts and thus produce no noise (no noise pollution).
• In the long run, solar power reduces electric bills.

Cons:

• Solar power is dependent on the sun, so solar energy can’t be produced at night or on cloudy days.
• Storing solar energy is expensive.
• Solar energy requires a lot of space; many solar panels are needed to capture enough energy to provide the power we need.
• There’s a significant cost to purchasing solar panels.
• It produces the least amount of energy when people need the most energy—at night and on cloudy days. This is called the Duck Curve problem.

Wind energy is one of the most common types of renewable energy. It’s quickly growing as an alternate source of electricity, but while there are some pros to wind energy, there are also some downsides:

Pros:

• It’s a renewable and clean energy source; it doesn’t damage the environment with greenhouse gas emissions, and we won’t “run out of wind” as opposed to fossil fuels which replenish slowly.
• It’s relatively low cost to operate and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance.
• It can use land efficiently, e.g., land with turbines on them can also be used for other purposes, such as farming.

Cons:

• Wind turbines can be expensive to install.
• Wind energy produces both noise and visual pollution. Wind turbines can be extremely noisy and because they need to be built high to capture enough wind, they can disrupt otherwise scenic landscapes.
• Wind turbines are limited to locations where wind frequently occurs, so they can’t be installed everywhere. Transporting wind energy requires costly and disruptive transmission lines.
• Wind energy is unpredictable because, well, it needs the wind to blow. Wind turbines need a certain level of wind speed to turn them and produce power, so if it’s not windy enough, there’s no power.

Unfortunately, the blades from wind turbines can harm and kill birds and other species that fly into them.

Hydropower comes from water. It’s used widely and has been a source of alternative energy for many years. But, like any energy source, it has pros and cons:

Pros:

• Hydropower is a renewable, clean energy source that doesn’t release pollution into the air.
• Hydropower can help offset traditional electricity demands during peak times, providing vital energy.
• Hydropower is a more stable source of energy than either solar or wind power because it doesn’t rely on sunlight or strong winds.

Cons:

• Hydropower plants are expensive and infrastructure intensive—you have to build a dam, reservoir, and power-generating turbines—which requires significant capital.
• There are limited locations that are suitable for reservoirs and hydroelectric plants.
• Hydropower has some adverse effects on the environment because it interrupts the natural flow of a river system, leading to issues with water quality and disruption to animals and humans.
• Because hydropower generation relies on river water, droughts can limit the amount of available water. As climate change accelerates, we will likely see more droughts.

Although the number of new nuclear plants has decreased in recent years, nuclear energy still supplies about 20 percent of the electricity in the United States. Here are the pros and cons of nuclear energy:

Pros:

• Nuclear energy produces a high amount of power output and can help reduce demand on our electrical grid.
• Compared to wind and solar power, nuclear energy takes up a relatively smaller portion of land. Wind farms take up 360x more space, and large-scale solar farms use 75x more space.
• Traditional fossil fuels release significant levels of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the primary cause of global climate change. Nuclear energy produces carbon-free electricity.

Cons:

• Malfunctions at nuclear plants can be catastrophic. We all remember the Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear disasters. The effects from a nuclear meltdown are devastating and long-lasting.
• Radioactive nuclear waste is an environmental and health hazard. It takes advanced technology to handle it properly, and even when it’s “safely packaged,” there can still be leaks that cause enormous damage.
• There are very high up-front costs to build nuclear plants. The nuclear reactors are complex and require numerous layers of safety precautions to be built into them, increasing the cost significantly.
• Nuclear plants are powered by uranium, which is a non-renewable resource. Uranium exists in limited amounts in the earth’s crust and once we use it, it’s gone.

How does geothermal energy stack up against solar, wind, hydropower, and nuclear energy? Here are the pros and cons of geothermal energy:

Pros:

• Geothermal energy is always on and always available, so it’s a reliable power source at night, during cloudy days, and when it’s not windy.
• It has a very small land footprint and causes no noise pollution.
• Geothermal plants are safer—they won’t have a nuclear meltdown or create nuclear waste that contaminates the earth.
• Geothermal energy can be used for large and small-scale needs. It can do everything from melting the ice from sidewalks and heating homes to powering entire regions.
• Geothermal infrastructure is not finite because there’s an endless supply of energy from the earth.
• It helps solve the Duck Curve problem.

Cons:

• Geothermal plants require a significant initial investment, although they pay off in the long run.
• High temperature geothermal power production has very specific geographic needs, though new technologies like EGS and Closed-Loop Geothermal are expanding the range of potential locations.
• Some geothermal plants do emit low levels of carbon dioxide, although it’s a fraction of the emissions from fossil fuel plants.
• Geothermal energy requires drilling into the earth to access and harness the earth’s power.

Geothermal can lead the energy revolution. While we need a portfolio of renewable energy approaches, geothermal has clear advantages. It is less constrained by shifting weather patterns than other sources of energy. It is truly sustainable and offers a minimal environmental impact. It is also much safer and free of dangerous byproducts, especially compared to nuclear power. 

Explore how geothermal energy works and connect with Geothermal Rising as we work together to use the earth to save the earth.

https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy 

https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy

There’s a lot of talk about impending climate doom. Make no mistake: if we don’t find clean, renewable sources of energy, we are certainly done for. The good news is we’ve already found a clean, renewable energy source that can save us all. It’s called geothermal energy.

If you’ve never heard of geothermal energy before, it might sound complicated or intimidating. But it’s really simple: geothermal energy is the energy from within the Earth.

Think back to elementary school science class. Remember learning about potential energy? Potential energy is energy that is stored, ready to be turned in to kinetic energy—energy in action. 

Ok, now remember learning that heat rises? Even if you didn’t learn it in school, you’ve seen it in life. That’s why it’s usually warmer upstairs. That’s why hot water boils. That’s why hot air balloons float. Heat turns potential energy into kinetic energy.

The Earth is literally full of potential energy. 

The Earth has many layers. The surface, or the crust—where we all live—may seem cold and hard. But dig a little deeper, and things get hot, fast. The center of Earth, the core, is as hot as the surface of the sun. This heat within the Earth rises, too.

The heat within the Earth is renewable because it will never run out. The core will always be hot, and heat will always rise.

You can see geothermal energy in action around the world. When Old Faithful spouts water high in the sky or Mt. Kilauea erupts, it’s because the heat from within the Earth rises and converts potential energy to kinetic energy. 

Not all examples of geothermal energy are so explosive. Icelanders cook their famous hverabrauð, or lava bread, by burying a dough made of flour, buttermilk, and a few other ingredients in a metal container near geothermal steam vents that naturally occur throughout the country. 24 hours later, geothermal energy turns this dough into delicious rye bread.

Iceland doesn’t just use geothermal energy to bake bread. Geothermal energy powers 30% of Iceland’s electricity.  

So, if the Earth holds all this potential energy, why aren’t we using it? 

One reason is that we haven’t always had the technology to access geothermal energy around the world. Places where heat from within the Earth naturally rises to the surface, like Iceland and New Zealand, have always used geothermal energy—to bake bread, relax in hot springs, and heat their homes. 

Today we have the technology to use geothermal energy to sustainably power daily life around the world. In fact, many of the tools we use to access unsustainable fossil fuels can be repurposed for unlocking this clean, renewable energy source. This will help ease and speed up the transition from a limited energy source that hurts the planet to an energy source that helps the planet that will never run out.

The main reason geothermal energy is not used today is that few people know about it. If people do know about it, they associate it with violent Earth events, like volcanoes. We can change that. 

The Earth has enough renewable energy to save us all, if only we take steps now to use it. 

Join us as we work to use the earth to save the earth.