Geothermal energy

1. Geothermal energy By: Allison Fillingame and Nathan Jacob

2. What is geothermal energy and is it renewable? • Geothermal energy is energy that comes from the heat of the Earth. • The heat comes from the Earth’s core, but the heat comes up to the crus • Geothermal energy is renewable as long as the crust isn’t cooled down too much. • Otherwise, it would take decades for the heat to replenish itself.

3. Where is it located and how do we recover it? • Geothermal energy comes from the core’s heat, but the heat goes to the Earth’s crust. • The area where the heat comes out is usually around the Ring of Fire, an area where the tectonic plates move. The continents where geothermal plants are North America, South America, and Asia. • Sometimes, a natural source of geothermal energy, like geysers, are used to recover this alternative energy. • Power plants also collects geothermal energy by using an injection well and a recovery well. The injection well pushes cold water into the crust, and steam will come up in the recovery well.

4. Ways we turn it into energy, Who uses it, and what’s its purpose? • If people live near the Ring of Fire, the geothermal energy is sent underground in pipes to be used for heating homes. • Once the steam at the power plants comes up to the surface, it goes to a generator to be converted into energy. • Anyone can use geothermal energy, and it is used to heat buildings and to be converted into electricity.

5. Effect on Environment • Geothermal energy sometimes releases gases that are deadly to us. • If the area being used, and it’s cooled down too much, then the area can’t be used, due to no more heat. But eventually, the heat will come back.

6. Important Facts • No fossil fuels are required to collect geothermal energy. • The U.S.A. produces the most geothermal energy, but Iceland uses the most in the world. • Some natural geothermal sources emit deadly gases. • Geothermal energy doesn’t give off any greenhouse gases.

7. Use geothermal energy! • We think that geothermal energy is the alternative source for the future because It doesn’t need any fossil fuels, and it doesn’t give off any greenhouse gases. Geothermal power plants are also small, so that means less land will be destroyed.

8. Bibliography • http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/index.htm • http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=solar_home-basics • Greatest Inventions With Bill Nye: Coal and Energy