Geothermal comes from the

Greek words geo (earth) and

therm (heat).

Thus, geothermal energy

means heat inside the earth.
At the center is a core of iron.

Around that is an outer core of

iron and rock so hot the rock is
melted.
The liquid rock is called
magma.

The next layer is a mixture of rock

and magma called the mantle.

The shell of the earth – with the

oceans and mountains - is
called the crust.
 Temp. of Shallow
Crust (upper 10 ft.)
Constant 55-75°F (13-
24°C)
 Up to 14,400°F (8,000°C)
at Molten Core
(approx. 4,000 mi. to
center of core)
 Earth’s Crust
Thickness: 3 to 35 Mi.
 Temperature
Increases With Depth
 Gradient: 50-87°F /
Mile (17-30°C / km)
 The inside of the earth
is very hot.

 Sometimes this heat

comes near the surface
in the form of magma.

 We can use this heat to

warm our houses and
make electricity.
 Low Temperature Reservoirs
 High Temperature Reservoirs
 Low Temperature Reservoirs:
 Available almost anywhere on earth
 Predominantly Used for Heat Pumps
 Space Heating
 Other Common Uses:
 Hot Water Production
 In Greenhouses to Grow Flowers, etc.
 Industrial Uses: dry wood, pasteurize milk,
grow fish, etc.
 High Temperature Reservoirs:
 Availability:
 Can Occur Within a Couple of Miles of
Earth’s Surface Where Earth’s Crust Is Very
Thin – i.e., Closer to Molten Magma at Core
 Suitable for Commercial Production of Electricity
 Power Plants Need High Capacity
Geothermal Reservoir – Water / Steam
>220°F (105°C)
 Greatest Potential for Energy Output
 Hot Geothermal Fluids Near Surface (<1-2 mi.)
 Preferably in Excess of 300°F, but Electrical
Generation Is Occurring at Temps. In the Low
200’s°F.
 Proximity to Population Base
 Low Mineral and Gas Content
 Proximity to Transmission Lines
 Even though geothermal
energy is underground,
there are visible features
on the surface.

 These include volcanoes,

hot springs, and
geysers.
The most active geothermal resources are usually found
where earthquakes and volcanoes are concentrated.
Geothermal energy produces only a
small percentage of U.S. electricity.

Today, it produces about 15 billion

kilowatt-hours, or less than one
percent of the electricity produced in
this country.
 The US is now the world’s largest geothermal
producer
 Current bills are being processed to give
research towards geothermal projects $500
million
 Pushing large scale production
 Most Basic Form of Geothermal Usage
 What – takes advantage of stored heat of near
surface soil / water (Const. temp of 55-75
°F).usually 8feet down the ground
 Winter Months – uses ground as a “heat source”
 Transfers heat from warm subsurface to
facility
 Summer Months – uses ground as a “heat sink”
 Transfers heat from facility to ground
 3 Main Parts:
 Underground Piping
 Pump / Heat
Exchanger System
 Indoor Distribution
System
 System
“Concentrates”
Natural Heat
Instead of
Production of Heat
by Combustion
Horizontal Closed Loop

 Most cost-effective for residential

installations
 Especially for new construction where
sufficient land is available.

Vertical

 Usually a better bet when area of useable

space is limited
 If the soil is too shallow for trenching.
 Used in more commercial and industrial
applications.
Pond/Lake

 If the site has an adequate water body, this

may be the lowest cost option.
 Layout:
 A supply line pipe is run underground from
the building to the water and coiled into
circles at least eight feet under the surface to
prevent freezing.
 Predominantly Space Heating / Cooling
 Currently Over 300,000 buildings in U.S.
 Homes, Schools, Commercial Complexes,
and Industrial Facilities
 Different Types of Plants are Required to
Take Advantage of the Particular
Characteristics of Each Specific Geothermal
Site
 Main Types of Geothermal Power Plants:
 Dry Steam
 Flash Steam
 Binary Cycle
 Uses Steam From
Geothermal
Reservoir Directly
 Only Requires
Removal of Rock
Fragments From
Steam Prior to
Entering Turbines
 Only Emissions Are
Water Vapor
 Ist ever Dry Steam plant
was installed in Itlay in
1904.

 later on in 1960,this plant started to produce

electricity commercially.

 Now ,there are Dry steam power plants in Ice

land ,Kenya,Japan ,Newszland.
 Pro:
 Lowest Technology Required – Lowest Capital Costs
 Con:
 Ideal Conditions Required
 Few Sites Available (Very Rare)
 Mostly common in those areas where
volcanic irrepution is usual.
 Injection of Deep,
High-pressure Water
Into Low-pressure
Tanks; Water
“Flashes” to Steam
Used to Drive
Turbines
 Excess Water
Returned to Maintain
Pressure in Reservoir
1st time introduced in
Newzeland in1950s.

Now a days plants are

in kineya ,Newzeland,
indonesia and Japan.
 Moderately Hot
Water (<175 °C)
Passed Through Heat
Exchanger
 Heat Transferred to
Secondary Fluid
(Low B.P. Fluids (i.e.,
Propane or
Isobutane) Which Is
Vaporized
(“Flashed”)
 Higher Capital Cost
 Needs High Efficiency
Equip.
 Water Never Contacts
Turbine/generator
Units
 Water Returned
Directly to Reservoir
 No Plant Emissions!
 Direct Uses:
 Greenhouses
 38 greenhouses in 8 western states
use this technology
 vegetables, flowers, houseplants,
and tree seedlings
 Aquaculture
 28 operations are active in 10 states.
 It is estimated that geothermal
greenhouses save about 80% of
fuel costs compared to typical
greenhouses
 about 5% to 8% of total
operating costs.
 Industrial applications:
 food dehydration
 laundries
 gold mining
 milk pasteurizing
 spas
 Little to No Pollution

 Flash Plants Emit Only Excess Steam

 Binary Plants Have No Air or Liquid Emissions!
 Emission of Low
Quantities of
Greenhouse
Gasses
 As Opposed to Burning Fossil Fuels, Current
Geothermal Use Prevents the Yearly Emission
of:
 22 M tons of CO2
 200k tons of SO2
 80k tons of NOx
 110k tons of Particulates
 Some Plants Produce
Scale Which Is High
in Minerals (Zinc and
S) But, The Minerals
are recyclable and
can be Sold For a
Profit!
 No Fuel Usage (storage,
transfer, disposal,
mining)
 Reliability:
 Plants Have Very Little
Down Time - Avg.
Availability is 90% or
greater
 60-70% for Coal and
Nuclear Plants
 Minimal Land Use Compared to Other Energy
Sources
 Requires 400 m2 of Land Per GW of Power
Over a 30 Year Period
 Compare That to Coal and Nuclear Plants Which
Require Land for Plant, Mining for Fuel, Storage of
Fuel and Wastes, Etc.
 Start-up Costs Are High
 Geothermal Plants Require Significant Capital
Expenditures, But the Fuel Is Free
 Cost - $1,500-$5,000 / Installed kW Depending on
Plant Size, Resource Temp.
 Cost Of Power to Consumer
 Currently, $0.05 to $0.08 / Kwh
 Needs to Be $0.03 to Be Competitive
 Water can be corrosive to plant pipes, equipment
 If water not replaced back into reservoir, subsidence
can occur
 Some high mineral / metal wastewater is
produced
 Smelly gasses – H2S, Ammonia, Boron
 Release of steam and hot water can be noisy
 Limited #
of High
Temp.
Resources
Capable of
Electric
Generation
Using
Current
Technology
• geothermal.marin.org/ on geothermal energy
• mailto:energyresources@egroups.com
• rredc.nrel.gov/www.dieoff.org. Site devoted to the decline of energy and
effects upon population
• www.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• solstice.crest.org/
• dataweb.usbr.gov/html/powerplant_selection.html
• http://www.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/history.html
• http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DOG/geothermal/index.htm
• ftp://ftp.consrv.ca.gov/pub/oil/maps/Geothermal/G3-1.pdf
• http://www.dennisweaver.com/habitat.html
• http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/geothermal
Thank you