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Geothermal power is electrical power generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power stations, flash steam power stations and binary cycle power stations. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 26 countries, [1] [2] while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries. [3]
Geothermal power plants are used in order to generate electricity by the use of geothermal energy (the Earth's internal thermal energy). They essentially work the same as a coal or nuclear power plant, the main difference being the heat source.
Geothermal power plants use hydrothermal resources that have both water (hydro) and heat (thermal). Geothermal power plants require high-temperature hydrothermal resources—300 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to 700° F—that come from either dry steam wells or from hot water wells.
Geothermal power is a form of energy conversion in which geothermal energy—namely, steam tapped from underground geothermal reservoirs and geysers—drives turbines to produce electricity. It is considered a form of renewable energy.
Learn how different kinds of geothermal power plants tap into geothermal resources—consisting of fluid, heat, and permeability found deep underground—to create a renewable source of electricity.
Geothermal power plants control the behavior of steam and use it to drive electrical generators. Some “dry steam” geothermal power plants simply collect rising steam from the ground and funnel it directly into a turbine.
Firm and Flexible—Geothermal power plants produce electricity consistently and can run essentially 24 hours per day/7 days per week, regardless of weather conditions. They can also ramp generation up or down to respond to changes in electricity demand.
Geothermal power plants largely release only excess steam, with most plants discharging no air or liquid. This makes geothermal power plants a clean source of electricity and an important contributor to the nation’s zero-carbon future.
Liquid-dominated geothermal power plant. The thermal energy contained in the interior of the earth is called geothermal energy. Volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs are visible evidence of a large amount of heat lying in Earth’s interior. The geothermal is enormous and last for several millions of years. Hence, it is called renewable energy.
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the earth. People use geothermal heat for bathing, for heating buildings, and for generating electricity. Source: Adapted from a National Energy Education Development Project graphic (public domain)