Question
Question: What name is given to heat energy obtained from hot rocks inside the earth?...
What name is given to heat energy obtained from hot rocks inside the earth?
Solution
Geothermal energy is the heat that comes from the sub-surface of the earth. It is located in the minerals and fluids underneath the earth’s crust and can be found as far down as the earth’s hot molten rock, magma. There are three types of geothermal power plants: dry steam, flash and binary.
Complete step by step solution:
The term geothermal is derived from the Greek words "gé" for "earth" and "thermós" for "hot," and it literally means "ground heat." Volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs demonstrate that the earth's interior is extremely hot. There is a tremendous amount of energy potential under our feet.
Wells a mile deep are drilled into underground lakes to access steam and hot water, which can then be used to power turbines attached to electricity generators.
We can capture geothermal energy through:
Geothermal power plants: use heat from deep inside the Earth to produce steam, which is then used to generate electricity.
Geothermal Heat pumps: which tap into heat close to the Earth's surface to heat water or provide heat for buildings.
Advantages of Geothermal Energy
Eco Friendly: Unlike fossil fuel plants, geothermal energy plants do not require any kind of combustion. This means they give off significantly a few concentrations of greenhouse gasses. Binary geothermal power plants, which are the most common in the world together, along with their flash binary counterparts emit close to zero greenhouse gas.
Renewable source of Energy: Geothermal power generation injects a sense of reliability to the national power system. Geothermal energy can be generated as a base-load renewable energy resource, which means production occurs 24/7 despite changing weather patterns, thereby offering an exceptionally reliable and constant source of green energy.
Note: The earth’s internal heat is available around the world. The only limitation is the capability to extract energy. However, with advances in technology (geothermal heat pumps), individuals have been able to harvest this hot water from the reservoir below the earth to heat homes and businesses.