Is geothermal could only be set up in a specific location?

3 Responses to Is geothermal could only be set up in a specific location?

1. Dozer says:

   July 9, 2012 at 2:30 am

   Geothermal power plants needs a few things to be successful.

   First you need hot ground water. 300+ degree F is deal, the hotter the better.

   Second you need water flow. If you had a 350 degree well and could only flow 100gpm you would not make enough money to cover the cost of the plant.

   Third you need a good re-heating of you injection water. You are taking out hot water and injecting cooler water. There is a chance you might cool off your heat source. If you can find a good place to inject your water and re heat it without cooling off your hot wells that is also Ideal for Longevity.

   Last you will need to be close to the grid. So you can run a transmission line to a switch yard so you can sell your power.

   So multiple wells with high temp, good re-heating heat source, good water flow, and close enough to a grid will be the ideal place for your geothermal plant.
2. deo says:

   July 9, 2012 at 2:00 am

   Geothermal energy is the heat derived from the earth. Because of the almost inexhaustible heat supply, the heat is utilized mostly to turn water into steam that in turn used to turn turbines that generates electricity. It is a natural alternative source to fossil fuels to generate power.

   Geothermal energy are rare and are normally found in the so called circum pacific ring of fire where most of these active volcanoes are found. it is believed that volcanoes are the result of tectonic plates thrusted underneath another plate causing extreme heat and pressure that manifest as volcanoes.
3. thewaterbourne says:

   July 9, 2012 at 1:01 am

   It depends on the scale of what you’re talking about…
   Many newer buildings utilize passive geothermal energy as part of their heating/cooling system essentially running air throught underground pipes where the ambient temperature is generally constant.
   As far as large scale geothermal plants are concerned, location is very crucial. Essentially, you need to be able to tap into the heat contained deep inside the earth to run a generator. While that heat energy is beneath your feet anywhere on the earth, it’s only possible to utilize it in areas with some geologic anomoly that brings that heat closer to the surface…(hot springs, etc) there’s a really unique area in australia I heard about, but the coal industry there is blocking any attempt to access it.