Bloom: Geothermal Energy Essay

Submitted By zaszee
Words: 473
Pages: 2

Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is a renewable thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. It is created by releasing the naturally formed steam, hot water, and stable ground temperature found in the Earth. Geothermal energy is the process of harnessing the heat that is coming out of the earth for the creation of electricity. In areas where there is hot ground water, holes are drilled into the earth. The water or steam comes up then it flows to turbines that turn to create electricity. Geothermal energy is generated in the earth's core, about 4,000 miles below the surface. Temperatures hotter than the sun's surface are continuously produced inside the earth by the slow decay of radioactive particles, a process that happens in all rocks. The earth's crust is broken into pieces called plates. Magma comes close to the earth's surface near the edges of these plates. This is where volcanoes occur. The lava that erupts from volcanoes is partly magma. Deep underground, the rocks and water absorb the heat from this magma. The temperature of the rocks and water get hotter and hotter as you go deeper underground. Geothermal energy use in the United States has increased and mainly in the western states. The largest dry steam field in the world is the Geysers located north of San Francisco. The first successful geothermal electric power plant in the United States in 1960. Since one geothermal plant can affect all those nearby, The Geysers are beneficial because the plants operate cooperatively. On the southeastern side of Salton Sea is another major geothermal area. In 2001 there was 15 geothermal plants producing electricity in that area. Like all other renewable energy resources, geothermal energy has its advantages and disadvantages. Once geothermal energy is produced it is almost non-polluting. Geothermal power plants are relatively inexpensive to operate since