You searched for: “geothermal
geothermal
Energy which is generated from heat from inside the earth.

This form of energy is both clean, sustainable, and renewable and the technology has caught on in countries with substantial geothermal activity; such as Iceland, where it accounted for 54 percent of primary energy use.

Resources of geothermal energy range from the shallow depths of hot water and hot rock found a few miles beneath the earth's surface, and down even deeper to the extremely high temperatures of molten rock called magma.

In the United States, the best sources for geothermal power are in the west, where there are many underground lakes of heated water; however, large-scale access would require drilling.

A major goal is to find a way to harness energy directly from magma (molten rock material), which has great potential because of its high temperature.

Word Entries containing the term: “geothermal
geothermal future
Most people think the word "geothermal" means hot springs and geysers; such as, parts of Iceland or Yellowstone National Park where water is heated by the presence of magma near the surface of the earth.

The earth’s heat lies below the surface everywhere, and it is believed that it offers an untapped energy reserve of enormous potential with a very short list of drawbacks.

Some of the negative aspects of geothermal development is that it will mean more competition for scarce water, more holes in the ground, and more roads to service those holes.

This entry is located in the following unit: Geology or Related Geological Terms + (page 5)
geothermal heat pump
A heat pump in which the refrigerant exchanges heat (in a heat exchanger) with a fluid circulating through an earth connection medium (ground or ground water).

The fluid is contained in a variety of loop (pipe) configurations depending on the temperature of the ground and the ground area available.

Loops may be installed horizontally or vertically in the ground or submersed in a body of water.

geothermal resources
Geothermal resources range from shallow ground to hot water and rock several miles below the earth's surface, and even farther down to the extremely hot molten rock called magma.

Mile-or-more-deep wells can be drilled into underground reservoirs to tap steam and very hot water that can be brought to the surface for use in a variety of applications. In the United States, most geothermal reservoirs are located in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.

This entry is located in the following unit: Geology or Related Geological Terms + (page 5)