GEOTHERMAL

ENERGY
CONTENT
GREEK ROOTS, GEO MEANS EARTH AND THERMOS MEANS
HEAT
THERMAL ENERGY STORED IN THE EARTH
DETERMINES THE TEMPERATURE OF MATTER
ORIGINATE FROM THE ORIGINAL FORMATION OF THE PLANET,
FROM RADIOACTIVE DECAY OF MINERALS, VOLCANIC
ACTIVITY AND SOLAR ENERGY ABSORBED AT THE SURFACE
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENT DRIVES A CONTINOUS CONDUCTION
OF THERMAL ENERGY IN THE FORM OF HEAT
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN
TEMPERATURE BETWEEN THE CORE AND THE SURFACE OF
THE EARTH.
FROM HOT SPRINGS, USEFUL FOR BATHING SINCE
PREHISTORIC TIMES AND SPACE HEATING SINCE ROMAN
NOW USED FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN 24 COUNTRIES
COST EFFECTIVE, RELIEBLE, SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENT
FRIENDLY
HISTORICALLY BEEN LIMITED TILL TECTONIC PLATE
BOUNDARIES BUT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES HAVE
EXPANDED THE RANGE AND SIZE
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP MITIGATE GLOBAL WARMING IF
WIDELY DEPLOYED IN PLACE OF FOSSIL FUELS


USES
ELECTRICITY
INTERNATIONAL GEOTHERMAL ASSOCIATION HAS REPORTED
10715 MW OF GEOTHERMAL POWER IN 24 COUNTRIES
PROJECTS 18500 MW BY 2015
LARGEST GROUP OF GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT IN THE
WORLD IS LOCATED AT THE GEYSERS, IN CALIFORNIA
PHILIPPINES IS THE SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER
BUILT ON THE EDGES OF TECTONIC PLATES WHERE HIGH
TEMPERATURE IS AVAILABLE
THERMAL EFFICIENCY OF THE PLANT IS LOW, AROUND 10-23
% BECAUSE GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS DO NOT REACH THE HIGH
TEMPERATURES OF STEAM FROM BOILERS

LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS LIMITS THE EFFICIENCY OF HEAT
ENGINES IN EXTRACTING USEFUL ENERGY
EXHAUST HEAT OR LOW-TEMPERATURE (300 F)
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES ARE USED IN GREENHOUSES,
TIMBER MILLS, DISTRICT HEATING, FISHERIES, MINERAL
RECOVERY AND INDUSTRIAL PROCESS HEATING
CAN ALSO GENERATE ELECTRICITY USING BINARY CYCLE
TECHNOLOGY
GEOTHERMAL HEATING IS MORE ECONOMICAL THAN
GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICITY GENERATION AS HEAT COMES
FROM PLANT OR WELLS OR HEAT EXCHANGERS BURIED IN
SHALLOW GROUNDS
HEATED WATER CAN BE PIPED FROM NATURAL HOT SPRINGS
FOR DIRECT HEATING TO HEAT BUILDINGS

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLUIDS CARRY MIXTURE GASES, CARBON DIOXIDE,
HYDROGEN SULFIDE, METHANE AND AMMONIA
CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING, ACID RAIN AND
NOXIOUS SMELLS
FOR REDUCTION, PLANTS ARE DESIGNED WITH EMISSION-
CONTROL SYSTEMS
HOT WATER HOLD IN SOLUTION TRACE AMOUNTS OF TOXIC
CHEMICALS LIKE MERCURY, ARSENIC, BORON AND ANTIMONY
IF RELEASED, CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
MORDEN PRACTICE OF EJECTING COOL WATER HELPS IN
REDUCING THE DAMAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE OF DIRECT GEOTHERMAL HEATING
APPLICATIONS IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE EMISSIONS
INTENSITY OF THE ELECTRIC GRID
PLANT CONSTRUCTION ADVERSELY AFFECT LAND STABILITY
GEOTHERMAL HAS MINIMAL LAND AND FRESHWATER
REQUIREMENTS
REQUIRES NO FUEL, HENCE IMMUNE TO FUEL-COST
FLUCTUATIONS BUT CAPITAL COST IS SIGNIFICANT
HIGHLY SCALABLE FROM RURAL VILLAGES TO URBAN CITIES
CHEVRON CORPORATION IS THE WORLDS LARGEST PRIVATE
GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICITY PRODUCER
THANK YOU