Geothermal Energy History And Future

Archaeological evidence establishes that the beginning of man's application of geothermal energy in North America came about more than ten thousand years ago with the settlements of Paleo-Indians at natural geothermal energy springs. The natural geothermal energy springs functioned as a reservoir of geothermal energy for heat and purifying, using their minerals as a source of therapeutic healing.

Although people still soak in shallow pools heated from the Earths core, technologists are creating technologies that will permit us to examine areas more than ten miles beneath the Earth’s surface hunting for geothermal energy. Currently in the United States Geothermal Energy accounts for 0.3 percent of power though experts predict this could rise to as much as 10% by 2050.

Geothermal Energy is heat (thermal) retrieved from the sub terrain depths of the land. The thermal energy held in in the rock of the earth and liquid (that occupies the cracks and pores inside the rock) in the earth’s crust.

Scientific calculations determine that the earth, starting from an entirely molten state, must have cooled off and become entirely solid several thousand years ago without an energy stimulant in addition to that of the sun. It is thought that the elemental source of geothermal energy is radioactive decay occurring deep within the earth (Burkland, 1973).

In most areas, this geothermal energy reaches the surface in a very diffuse state. However, due to a variety of geological processes, some areas, including substantial portions of many western states, are underlain by relatively shallow geothermal energy.

Humans have utilized geothermal energy in North America for more than 10,000 years. Paleo-American Indians used thermal springs for cooking, and for sanctuary and relief. Geothermal energy springs were neutral areas where members of fighting nations would bathe collectively in serenity. Native Americans have a history with every major thermal spring in the USA.

These geothermal energy springs can be separated as low temperature (less than 90°C or 194°F), moderate temperature (90°C - 150°C or 194 - 302°F), and high temperature (greater than 150°C or 302°F). The roles which these resources are given are also regulated by temperature. The highest temperature sources are mostly utilized solely for geothermal energy electricity generation. Current U.S. geothermal energy power generation totals roughly 2200 MW or close to the equivalent of 4 large atomic power plants. Uses for low and moderate temperature sources can be separated into two classes: direct use and ground-source heat pumps.

Direct use, as the name implies, requires applying the geothermal energy in the water directly (without a heat pump or power plant) for applications such as heating of buildings, industrial works, greenhouses, aquaculture (farming of fish) and holiday resorts. Direct use projects more often than not use geothermal energy temperatures between 38°C (100°F) to 149°C (300°F). Current U.S. Established capacity of direct use schemes totals 470 MW or sufficient enough to heat 40,000 average-sized homes.

Ground-source heat pumps utilize the terra firma or groundwater as a heat source in wintertime and a heat sink in summertime. Utilizing geothermal energy temperatures of 4°C (40°F) to 38°C (100°F), the heat pump, a mechanical device which moves geothermal energy from one area to another, transposes geothermal heat energy from the soil to the home in winter and from the house to the soil in summer.

The current production of geothermal energy resources from all uses currently sits third amongst renewable energies, behind hydroelectricity and biomass, and in front of solar and wind. Despite these impressive statistics, the current level of geothermal energy use pales in comparison to its potential. The key to wider geothermal energy use is greater public awareness and technical support.
JD Stratis is a freelance writer for http://www.mygreenfeat.com My Green Feat dedicated to celebrating individual Feats of Greening the Environment and reducing our environmental footprint.

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