Geothermal energy basics

Introduction

Geothermal energy refers to power extracted from heat stored in the Earth. Where does this heat originate from? It all started long, long time ago when our planet originally started its formation, from radioactive decay beneath the Earth's surface, volcanic activity, and also from solar energy that was absorbed at the surface. The first geothermal energy use was for bathing, but today geothermal energy is mostly used to generate electricity, and in some countries also for heating purposes in form of geothermal heating.

What's good about geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is renewable energy source that cannot be depleted since earth is in constant state of producing heat, and it does not produce harmful carbon emissions nor it contributes to air pollution like fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas do). Geothermal energy is clean, cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly source of energy. Unlike solar and wind energy geothermal energy doesn't suffer from intermittency issue, and once built geothermal power plants offer extremely reliable clean energy solution.

What's not good about geothermal energy?

High installation costs are probably the first thing when talking about the cons of renewable energy. Geothermal power plants are very expensive to be built costing twice as much compared to natural gas power plants. High construction and drilling costs are the main reason why geothermal energy isn't economically viable option in all corners of the world, but only in areas with suitable amount of hot rocks at just the right depth for drilling. Once the drilling technologies become more technologically advanced geothermal energy will likely become much more competitive to fossil fuels.

Geothermal energy on global scale

Geothermal energy is renewable energy sector that is quickly expanding, and in the last couple of years global geothermal capacity has increased by more than 20%, with around 10,715 megawatts (MW) of geothermal capacity installed worldwide. 10,715 megawatts (MW) projects growth to 18,500 MW by 2015.

Geothermal energy in United States

United States is global leader in installed geothermal energy capacity with 3,086 MW of installed capacity coming from 77 geothermal power plants. California is the nation's leader with more than 2500 MW of geothermal energy production capacity but Nevada is quickly closing the gap. The first U.S. geothermal power plant was opened at The Geysers in California in 1960. According to current estimates installed geothermal capacity in the United States could exceed 15,000 MW by 2025.

Geothermal power plants

Three basic types of geothermal power plants are:
1.dry steam plants where steam is piped directly from a geothermal reservoir to turn the generator turbines.
2.flash steam plants that takes the high-pressured hot water from deep inside the Earth and convert it to steam to turn the generator turbines.
3.binary cycle power plants that transfer the heat from geothermal hot water to another liquid, and then the second liquid is turned into the steam that turns the generator turbines.

Geothermal energy environmental impact

As said before geothermal energy is environmentally friendly source of energy. Existing geothermal electric plants emit an average of 122 kilograms (269 lb) of CO2 per megawatt-hour (MW·h) of electricity, an amount negligible compared to fossil fuel power plants. Harnessing geothermal energy has minimal land and freshwater requirements. The only potential hazard is the fact that fluids drawn from the deep earth carry a mixture of gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane (CH4) and ammonia which can (if not treated properly) add to global warming, air pollution, and acid rain.

US biomass energy statistics

At the end of 2009 biomass provided around 3 percent of all energy consumed in the United States.

The most common form of biomass in United States is wood, representing around 50% of all biomass used in US.

Garbage and waste are also form of biomass, and they account for around 12% of the total biomass energy consumed in the United States.

United States today has around 80 waste-to-energy plants in the United States that generate electricity for around 1,3 million US homes.

The largest biomass power plant in North America in United States is the New Hope Power Partnership, Florida with the capacity of 140 MW. This plant can supply electricity for around 60,000 US homes.

Biomass currently produces 14 times more renewable energy for the United States than wind and solar energy combined.

Biomass in United States currently accounts for more than 300,000 green jobs.

More than 100 biomass power plants are currently connected to the electrical grid in the United States.

About 35% of the sales generation biomass plants are located in California. California currently has around 30 biomass power plants.

The average biomass power plant capacity in the United States is 21 MW.

Around 1.5 kg of Biomass will produce 1 unit (kWh) of power.

According to the he Biomass Power Association biomass power is a $1 billion worth industry in the United States.

Australia renewable energy statistics

Renewable energy currently provides around 4% of Australia's electricity, with solar and wind power being the most important renewable energy sources.

Australia currently has around 150 MW of installed solar power capacity.

Australia has the highest average solar radiation of any continent but yet despite this only around 50,000 Australian homes had solar PV installed.

Australia invested a $1.02 billion in the first quarter of 2010 in new renewable energy projects, this looks like a decent sum but on the global level it accounts for only 0.8 percent of total global investment in renewable energy sector.

The 2009 Australian budget delivers 1.35 billion dollars, over 6 years, for solar power.

Biomass currently satisfies less than 5% of Australian energy needs, with wood representing around 2,5& of Australia's primary energy consumption.

Around $31 billion worth of renewable energy investments are underway or are planned for Australia, which should create close to 26,000 jobs.

In the end of 2009 Australia had 33 operational wind farms with a total capacity of 1877 MW providing 1.3% of Australia's national electricity demand.

The largest wind farm in Australia is Lake Bonney Wind Farm in South Australia with the capacity of 239.5 MW.

If Australia would use only 1% of the geothermal heat resource within the top 5 kms of the Earth’s crust it could provide 26,000 times its annual energy consumption.

Global renewable energy growth continues

Renewable energy sector around the world will continue to grow at rapid pace in years to come, and this should in two decades from now result in 20 million new renewable energy jobs, at least this is what Helene Pelosse, interim Director- General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said on a five-day conference on renewable energy, held in Abu Dhabi.

According to Pelosse the number of renewable energy jobs keep on growing on global level. In 2008, this number was 2,332,000, which is expected to reach 20,000,000 additional jobs requirements in the global renewable energy sector by 2030.

Pelosse believes that there could be 50 percent renewable energy in the energy mix by 2050 (a bit optimistic in my opinion but nonetheless possible). Solar and wind energy industry experienced the largest growths, as there were double digit growth rates for both photovoltaic and wind over the last years, and 60 percent of new capacity in Europe come from renewable energy (especially in Germany and Spain). 85 countries in the world are with policy targets and other 75 countries with feed-in tariffs.

Global renewable energy growth data shows that in period between 2004-2008, there was a fourfold increase in renewable energy investments, while total renewable energy in 2009 were impressive $162 billion. The renewable energy currently accounts to around 18 percent of the global energy consumption. This number should significantly increase in years to come because fossil fuels such as coal and oil are losing popularity because of climate change issue.

As Pelosse concluded there are three main drivers for renewable energy: economic growth, climate change and energy security. With these three supporting factors renewable energy looks likely to continue its growing trend in years to come.

Germany renewable energy statistics

Germany is one of the global leaders in renewable energy, in only ten years time, the share of electricity from renewable energy sources in Germany has increased by almost ten percent, from 6.3 percent in 2000 to about 16.1 percent in 2009.

Renewable energy sector in Germany is currently employing around 220,000 people.

In 2009, renewable energy sources contributed with 10,1 % in Germany's total energy consumption.

Wind power produced 6.5% and bioenergy 5.2% of the total electricity consumption in Germany in 2009.

Germany is the world's second largest (behind United States) user of wind power with the installed wind power capacity of 23,903 MW in the end of 2008.

Wind power industry in Germany currently employs over 70,000 people.

Germany currently has around 9,800 MW of installed solar power capacity. German photovoltaic (PV) industry currently employs close to 50,000 people. In 2009, Germany installed 3,800 MW of solar PV.

Total geothermal capacity installed in Germany is very small, only 8.4 MW in 2007.

Hydropower currently satisfies around 3,5% of the electricity demand in Germany.

The largest photovoltaic power plant in Germany is Strasskirchen Solar Park with the capacity of 54 MW.

US renewable energy statistics

Renewable energy currently accounts for 10,1% of domestically produced electricity.

Hydropower is the most important renewable energy in United States, accounting for 66.8% of the total renewable power in the U.S. in 2008, and 6% of nation's electricity.

Currently installed wind power capacity in United States of around 35,200 MW is enough to satisfy energy needs of more than 9,7 million households.

California is leading US state when it comes to renewable energy, with 31 percent of California's electricity coming from renewable sources (most from hydropower).

In the 2008 US became world leader in installed wind power capacity.

Geothermal energy currently meets less than 1% of U.S. power needs.

United States is world leader in generation of electricity from geothermal energy, and geothermal energy generates an average of 15 billion kilowatt hours of geothermal power per year, around 30% of the world total.

The largest photovoltaic power plant in United States is the 25 MW DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Florida.

Solar water heating capacity in US is bigger than 1,000 megawatts (MW, enough for around 1.5 million homes and businesses.

Solar power currently provides less than 1% of U.S. energy needs.

In 2009, US solar energy industry experienced growth of 37%, despite the financial crisis.

United States is world's leading ethanol fuel producer with 9 billion U.S. liquid gallons of ethanol fuel produced in 2008.

U.S. ethanol industry currently employs more than 200,000 people.

In 2009, US wind power industry accounted for more than 85,000 jobs.

Current biomass power capacity in the United States is around 11,000 MW.

The largest biomass power plant in United States is New Hope Power Partnership biomass power plant located in Florida with the capacity of 140 megawatts.

U.S. currently produces around 5% of world's solar cells.

Electric car industry looking good in US

Some would likely say that an average American would never give up gas engines but on the other hand electric cars are becoming increasingly popular in United States. Electric vehicle development is a clean energy sector where US can achieve top position in clean energy race, and having strong public support is one of the prerequisites to go global, and challenge China.

Many Americans say they would feel much better driving by knowing they do not pollute our planet so much, and many would also feel even more pleased to know that domestic money stays within US borders instead of going to already full pockets of Middle East's Sheiks.

The development of the domestic electric car industry is currently looking really good, with many new facilities opening across the US territory. One of the latest examples is Electric vehicle development center recently opened in Michigan that will develop advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles.

It also has to be said that this is only one of 12 projects in the Michigan state that were awarded a share of $1.35 billion US Department of Energy grants to boost battery and electric vehicle manufacturing and development.

Electric car industry should in the next decade create more than 60,000 green jobs in Michigan alone, in the areas such as cells and battery packs, hybrid and electric vehicle components and complete hybrid and electric vehicle systems.

This should give some competition to Asian countries because few years back only Asia was manufacturing these advanced batteries, as well as other advanced vehicle components. But things are finally changing and US electric car industry should bring new investments and new jobs within its domestic borders.