Advantages and Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

Introduction

Geothermal energy is the heat/ thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth and a major source of renewable energy in the world today. Man has developed technology to tap into the earth and generate energy with a lot of ease. Upon its discovery, geothermal energy offered revolutionary solutions and spread to every end of the planet. However, like other sources of energy, it has pros and cons. If you were evaluating various sources of renewable energy, then it would be wise to understand the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy. This research will help you get answers to a wide range of questions surrounding the feasibility of geothermal energy.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

Advantages

The biggest advantage geothermal energy is that it is a renewable source of energy. This means man will continue enjoying it, as long we do not pump too much cold water into the earth to cool underlying rocks. As a renewable source of energy, geothermal is a favorable option in this generation where the world is over depending on nonrenewable sources of energy like coal and petroleum.

Geothermal energy is clean. It does not emit harmful gases into the atmosphere. Thus, it does not cause environmental pollution like combustion of petroleum and fossils, which cause massive pollution. Today, man suffers the effects of this over-dependence though global warming. Adopting geothermal energy can be a good way of reducing the impact of greenhouse gases. It is therefore clear that the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy depend on its usability and friendliness to the environment.

Geothermal energy uses minimal land. Drilling does not take too much room. This means that harnessing this energy does not hurt the surrounding environment.

In addition, geothermal is self-reliant. This means that the plant uses the power it produces to keep it running. In the process, you cut on cost since you are spending on outsourcing power. Furthermore, geothermal energy is more reliable than nonrenewable sources of energy. It is a constant source of energy, implying that it does not rely on external sources.

Disadvantages

Besides being a renewable and clean source of energy, geothermal energy has its fair share of drawbacks. Firstly, you cannot put up a geothermal power plant anywhere. The location fit for the plant must have the right rocks. The type of rocks present matters a lot because some rocks are too strong to drill. The rocks must also occur at reasonable depths to make drilling possible.

Critics of this type of energy argue that the drilling process bears a lot of heat and exposure to steam, which is not always a good experience. During drilling, dangerous minerals may come to the earth surface and pose challenges.

In terms of other disadvantages, geothermal installation costs are always too high. To have a geothermal power station, one needs large investments.

You also need electricity towers to move power from where it is generated to the consumers.

Geothermal energy also has limited availability of sources. Not many places in the world where geothermal energy can be extracted.

It is also hard to install plants across the planet because of poor or no infrastructure, equipment and staff.

Notably, the sector also faces shortage of labor.

Lastly, the source of geothermal energy can be depleted. In some case, geothermal sites may run out of steam. When this occurs, you can wait for decades before the supply goes back to where it was before.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy– Bottom line

Many people prefer geothermal energy because it is highly effective and requires minimal maintenance expenses. According to evaluation results, geothermal energy uses up to 25% to 50% less electricity as compared to traditional systems of cooling and heating. In addition, geothermal pumps are long lasting than conventional pumps.

Importantly, geothermal energy is not only friendly to the environment but also friendly to people. For example, the pumps moderate noise, which cannot affect the daily lives of people within the neighborhood.

 

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