Feb 06 2010
Geothermal Energy - How Does It Work?
While history is littered with varying examples of civilizations making use of geothermal energy, it is really only in the last ten years that is has been taken seriously as an alternative energy source
This has led to a situation where the majority of people are unaware of its existence and so generally ask the questions what is geothermal energy and just exactly how does it work?
Geothermal Energy - What Is It?
Geothermal energy is simply any form of energy that comes from within the earth itself. The heat within the earth’s surface is used as the fuel that powers the heating and cooling of our home
With rising energy costs, now is the time to learn more about Geothermal Residential Heating, click here to find out more: Residential Geothermal Heating
How Does Geothermal Energy Work?
Geothermal energy can be used in a couple of different ways. The first use is as an alternative source of electricity that replaces fossil fuel burning power stations
This is achieved by finding large pools of super heated water deep below the earth’s surface. These pools are tapped and the steam that is found there is used to drive the turbines that produce electricity
You can also drill down into rock which is super hot and pump water down through the rocks, which turns the water to steam and comes back up to drive the turbines.
The second way geothermal energy can be used is by installing a geo thermal heat pump, and use the constant temperature of the earth below your house to heat or cool that house.
Find more free information on How Does Geothermal Energy Work here: How Does Geothermal Energy Work
To do this you need to install pipes that run through the earth directly below your house. If you want to heat your house, then the heat from the earth is extracted and pumped up through these pipes into your house.
If you want to cool your house, the hot air from above is pumped through the pipes, and as the earth below is cooler than the air temperature, it also cools this air down before it is returned to the air above.
To heat your water, the cold water is pumped down through the pipes, heated and pumped back up into the house.
This is an introductory explanation of geothermal energy - the exact configuration varies from house to house based upon the unique characteristics of that house and the land that it sits on
But when trying to understand how geothermal energy works all you really need to understand is that the earth below your house remains at a constant temperature.
For more information on geothermal heating and cooling check out this article: Geothermal Heating And Cooling.
When it is hot outside, it is cooler underground. When it is cold outside it is warmer underground.
This constant temperature allows you to tap into a virtually free source of energy that is also environmentally friendly and long term sustainable
