Why is Geothermal Bad?
There various renewal energy platforms are often a hot subject of debate if you’ll excuse the pun. So, let’s cut to the chase and ask why is geothermal bad?
Geothermal energy is unique in that both of the energy manifestations rely on the heat found inherently in the ground. One might think that the farther you went down in the ground, the cooler it would get. This is true for the first five feet or so, but then the temperature stabilizes until you get miles down. This is due to the heat being produced in the center of the planet in magma.
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Geothermal power is based on two platforms. The first is a simple approach where pipes are sunk thirty or forty feet into the ground at a structure like a home. Liquid is then pumped through these pipes into the ground where the liquid takes on the temperature of the ground. It is then circulated back up to the structure where it is used to cool or heat the structure. Although effective, this form of geothermal power is relatively rare. This is not the situation with the second form of geothermal energy.
The second platform is a geothermal power plant. In this approach, hydrothermal hot spots are located. As the name suggests, these are pools of hot water underground. Once located, pipes are then drilled down to the reservoir where water temperatures can be as high as a thousand degrees. These pipes create a release on pressure and steam shoots to the surface where it is used to turn turbines. As the turbines turn, electricity is generated and we have power.
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So, what is bad about geothermal? This is one area where there is little to discuss. Geothermal power is clean energy and is cost effective. About the only thing that can be called bad is that hydrothermal reservoirs are much like oil in that they are only found in certain areas. Unlike oil, the larger reservoirs are in the United States, mostly in the western part of the country.
Why is geothermal bad? It isn’t. The only thing that holds it back from being a dominant energy platform is the lack of hydrothermal reservoirs throughout the world.
