Geothermal Heat- A Hot New Energy Industry
Posted by admin on
March 13, 2010
Industry and consumers alike are beginning to take advantage of the wealth of resources available through geothermal heat. The rapidly growing market for geothermal heat will see a dramatic increase in its uses for direct heating and electricity production.
In an emerging alternative energy industry geothermal heat is sustaining a dramatic rise in popularity.
Geothermal heat is heat which is stored beneath the surface of the earth. It comes from the absorption of UV rays from the sun as well as the radioactive decay of minerals that occur deep below the surface.
The earth absorbs nearly 50 per cent of all solar energy. This constant heat stored just beneath the surface of the earth is primarily used for direct heating purposes through geothermal heat pumps for homes, businesses or even large scale heating applications. This form of geothermal heat is known as hydro thermal resources.
Geothermal heat that is stored deeper within the earth is now being used to produce energy. The temperature found beneath the surface of the earth typically increases 10 to 50 degrees Celsius per kilometre.
A geothermal heat pump can extract enough heat from shallow ground anywhere in the world to provide home heating, but industrial applications need the higher temperatures of deep resources.
The next form of geothermal heat is found at a depth of between three to six kilometres, where reservoirs of water and methane exist in the range of 90 to 200 degrees Celsius. This is known as geo-pressured resources. The water from geothermal heat at this depth is pumped to the surface of the earth and used either for direct heating or to be converted into electricity.
The next level of geothermal heat is known as hot dry rock. This is a virtually limitless resource and is more accessible than any other form of geothermal heat. New technologies are being developed to take advantage of this wealth of energy.
Magma is the largest geothermal resource and is found at a depth of between three and ten kilometres. It has a temperature ranging from 700 to 1200 degrees Celsius. This is the most powerful of all geothermal resources although existing technology does not allow for the extraction of geothermal energy from magma.
The benefits and uses of geothermal heat have been known and used for a number of years. It was first established as a means of direct heating and producing power in the early twentieth century.
Recent technological advances have resulted in an efficient and environmentally friendly energy source used for direct heating purposes or electricity production.
Geothermal heat is becoming increasingly popular as a source for heat pumps often resulting in a saving of up to 60 per cent in electricity bills.
As technology is produced to take advantage of the wealth of resources that is available through geothermal heat it will become a prominent player in the alternative energy market
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