| Geothermal energy is a platform tapping the | | | | steam resulting from tapping into the geothermal |
| inherent energy found within the Earth. Her is an | | | | water reservoirs to power turbines. These |
| overview of how the process works from a | | | | turbines spin producing electricity which can then |
| practical perspective. | | | | be used to power industries or even residential |
| Producing Energy From Geothermal Resources | | | | areas. The first geothermically engineered power |
| There are several types of energy used in the | | | | plant was built in Italy in 1904. |
| world that are considered eco-friendly. These | | | | These days, roughly 7000 megawatts of |
| energy types include solar, which harnesses the | | | | electricity is produced by geothermal power plants |
| power of the sun, and hydroelectric, which uses | | | | per year. Geothermal power plants are located in |
| the power of water to generate electricity. One | | | | 21 countries throughout the world. In the United |
| often neglected ecologically sound energy source | | | | States alone, enough geothermal power is |
| that should be grouped with the others is | | | | generated per year to be the equivalent to the |
| geothermal energy. Geothermal energy involves | | | | burning of 60 million barrels of oil, to wit, |
| using the Earth's own heat to create energy and | | | | geothermal energy is a major source of power. |
| warmth to be used by people. | | | | Geothermal energy has been used by cultures |
| Geothermal energy is so named because it | | | | throughout history for thousands of years. The |
| derives from the Greek words for "earth heat", | | | | process used to harness geothermal energy has |
| "geo" and "therme". Extreme amounts of heat are | | | | always been relatively simple compared to that of |
| generated in the Earth's core, which reaches | | | | other energy processes, and the components |
| temperatures of up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | used are familiar to everyone. The concept of |
| The Earth's core then transfers heat to the | | | | using super hot water from the Earth's magma |
| mantle, a crust of rock surrounding the core. This | | | | layers may seem high tech, but once you have |
| rock liquefies due to the intense heat becoming | | | | tapped into this resource, it is easy to maintain |
| magma (molten rock). In this magma layer, water | | | | and use as a continual power source. |
| collects in columns or reserves. This trapped | | | | The best analogy for geothermal energy |
| water, which can be heated to temperatures of | | | | production is another alternative energy source. It |
| about 700 degrees Fahrenheit, is known as a | | | | works in the same way as hydropower. Water is |
| geothermal reservoir. When engineers want to | | | | used to spin turbines which produce electricity. In |
| use geothermal energy, they "tap" in to this | | | | the case of geothermal energy, however, the |
| geothermal water and use the resulting hot water | | | | water comes from the internal chambers of the |
| and steam for various purposes. | | | | Earth in, most often, the form of steam. |
| Geothermal energy plants work by using the | | | | |