Geothermal electricity

How Geothermal Energy Works Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. This heat energy, known as geothermal energy, can be found almost anywhere—as far away as remote deep wells in Indonesia and as close as the dirt in our backyards. Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, as of 2013 more than 11,700 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity was in operation globally, with another 11,700 MW in planned capacity additions on the way [1]. Iceland's Nesjavellir geothermal power station. With more than 3,300 megawatts in eight states, the United States is a global leader in installed geothermal capacity. The geothermal resource Below Earth's crust, there is a layer of hot and molten rock, called magma.

Geothermal power in the United Kingdom The potential for exploiting geothermal energy in the United Kingdom on a commercial basis was initially examined by the Department of Energy in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. Several regions of the country were identified, but interest in developing them was lost as petroleum prices fell. Although the UK is not actively volcanic,[1] a large heat resource is potentially available via shallow geothermal ground source heat pumps, shallow aquifers and deep saline aquifers in the mesozoic basins of the UK.[2] Geothermal energy is plentiful beneath the UK, although it is not readily accessible currently except in specific locations.[3] Southampton District Energy Scheme History[edit] The potential for exploiting geothermal energy in the United Kingdom on a commercial basis was initially examined by the Department of Energy in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. Shallow geothermal energy[edit] Aquifer-based schemes[edit] Southampton District Heating Scheme[edit] Other[edit] Hot rock schemes[edit]

Hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity generation – 3,427 terawatt-hours of electricity production in 2010,[1] and is expected to increase about 3.1% each year for the next 25 years. Hydropower is produced in 150 countries, with the Asia-Pacific region generating 32 percent of global hydropower in 2010. China is the largest hydroelectricity producer, with 721 terawatt-hours of production in 2010, representing around 17 percent of domestic electricity use. There are now four hydroelectricity stations larger than 10 GW: the Three Gorges Dam and Xiluodu Dam in China, Itaipu Dam across the Brazil/Paraguay border, and Guri Dam in Venezuela.[1] The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of renewable electricity.

Tidal power Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity. Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar power. Among sources of renewable energy, tidal power has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability. Historically, tide mills have been used, both in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North America. The world's first large-scale tidal power plant is the Rance Tidal Power Station in France, which became operational in 1966. Generation of tidal energy[edit] Variation of tides over a day Tidal power is taken from the Earth's oceanic tides; tidal forces are periodic variations in gravitational attraction exerted by celestial bodies. Generating methods[edit] Corrosion[edit]

Binary cycle Electricity generation in a vapor-dominated hydrothermal system.Key:1 Wellheads 2 Ground surface 3 Generator 4 Turbine 5 Condenser 6 Heat exchanger 7 Pump Hot water Cold water Isobutane vapor Isobutane liquid A binary vapor cycle is defined in thermodynamics as a power cycle that is a combination of two cycles, one in a high temperature region and the other in a lower temperature region.[3] Introduction to Binary Cycles[edit] The use of mercury-water cycles in the United States can be dated back to the late 1920s. Water is the optimal working fluid to use in vapor cycles because it is the closest to an ideal working fluid that is currently available. Characteristics of Optimal Working Fluids[4][edit] Systems[edit] Rankine Vapor Cycle[edit] The Rankine cycle is the ideal form of a vapor power cycle. Dual Pressure[edit] This process is designed to reduce the thermodynamic losses incurred in the brine heat exchangers of the basic cycle. Dual Fluid[edit] Power Plants[edit] References[edit]

Carbon neutral fuel Type of fuel which have no net greenhouse gas emissions Carbon-neutral fuel is fuel which produces no net-greenhouse gas emissions or carbon footprint. In practice, this usually means fuels that are made using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock. Proposed carbon-neutral fuels can broadly be grouped into synthetic fuels, which are made by chemically hydrogenating carbon dioxide, and biofuels, which are produced using natural CO2-consuming processes like photosynthesis.[1][2] The carbon dioxide used to make synthetic fuels may be directly captured from the air, recycled from power plant flue exhaust gas or derived from carbonic acid in seawater. Common examples of synthetic fuels include ammonia and methane,[3] although more complex hydrocarbons such as gasoline and jet fuel[4] have also been successfully synthesized artificially. Production of synthetic hydrocarbons [edit] Hydrogen fuel is typically prepared by the electrolysis of water in a power to gas process. Environmental impact

Geothermal Energy - Renewable Energy World Geothermal Energy The Earth's heat-called geothermal energy-escapes as steam at a hot springs in Nevada. Credit: Sierra Pacific Geothermal energy is the heat from the Earth. Almost everywhere, the shallow ground or upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C). In the United States, most geothermal reservoirs of hot water are located in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii. Hot dry rock resources occur at depths of 3 to 5 miles everywhere beneath the Earth's surface and at lesser depths in certain areas. Many technologies have been developed to take advantage of geothermal energy - the heat from the earth. Geothermal Energy Technologies: Geothermal Electricity Production Generating electricity from the earth's heat. Subscribe Read More Geothermal Energy News Here Geothermal Energy News & Information: Types Of Renewable Energy Stay Connected To register for our free e-Newsletters, create your free account here:

Enhanced geothermal system Enhanced geothermal system 1 Reservoir 2 Pump house 3 Heat exchanger 4 Turbine hall 5 Production well 6 Injection well 7 Hot water to district heating 8 Porous sediments 9 Observation well 10 Crystalline bedrock Water travels through fractures in the rock, capturing the rock's heat until forced out of a second borehole as very hot water. The water's heat is converted into electricity using either a steam turbine or a binary power plant system.[4] All of the water, now cooled, is injected back into the ground to heat up again in a closed loop. EGS technologies, like hydrothermal geothermal, can function as baseload resources that produce power 24 hours a day, like a fossil fuel plant. Unlike hydrothermal, EGS appears to be feasible anywhere in the world, depending on the economic limits of drill depth. EGS systems are currently being developed and tested in France, Australia, Japan, Germany, the U.S. and Switzerland. EGS industry[edit] Research and development[edit] Australia[edit]

Alaska Center for Energy and Power | Home 2014 Alaska Rural Energy ConferenceSeptember 23 – 25, 2014Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference CenterFairbanks, Alaska The 2014 Alaska Rural Energy Conference will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska, this September and the Conference Organizing Committee would like to invite you and your organization to attend! To view more information on this year’s conference or to register visit www.akruralenergy.org. If you would like to participate in this year’s Conference as a sponsor or a vendor please take a moment to view our sponsorship levels at www.akruralenergy.org/sponsor.html. The Westmark Fairbanks Hotel and Conference Center is offering reduced rates for Alaska Rural Energy Conference attendees. All attendees using the conference code AREC092814 to book a room at the Westmark Fairbanks during the conference will be eligible for a drawing of one free room night at this property. Conference rates will expire August 28th, 2014, or when room block is filled.

Tidal Energy | Pros for Wave and Tidal Power What is tidal energy? Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy used by humans. Indeed, tide mills, in use on the Spanish, French and British coasts, date back to 787 A.D.. Tide mills consisted of a storage pond, filled by the incoming (flood) tide through a sluice and emptied during the outgoing (ebb) tide through a water wheel. The tides turned waterwheels, producing mechanical power to mill grain. Tidal power is non-polluting, reliable and predictable.Tidal barrages, undersea tidal turbines – like wind turbines but driven by the sea – and a variety of machines harnessing undersea currents are under development. Tidal energy can be exploited in two ways: By building semi-permeable barrages across estuaries with a high tidal range.By harnessing offshore tidal streams. Barrages allow tidal waters to fill an estuary via sluices and to empty through turbines. Most modern tidal concepts employ a dam approach with hydraulic turbines. Where are good areas for exploiting tidal energy?

27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico | Coastal Care Photo Source: AP Photo/California State Lands Commission.Nearshore wellhead excavated.In this undated photo released by the California State Lands Commission, a nearshore wellhead is excavated off California. In state waters, California has resealed scores of its abandoned wells since the 1980s, but in federal waters, the official policy is out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Neither industry nor government checks for leaks at the more than 27,000 oil and gas wells abandoned in the Gulf of Mexico since the late 1940s. By Jeff Donn and Mitch Weiss, Associated Press. Leading environmental groups and a U.S. senator on Wednesday called on the government to pay closer attention to more than 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico and take action to keep them from leaking even more crude into water already tainted by the massive BP spill. Of 50,000 wells drilled over the past six decades in the Gulf, 23,500 have been permanently abandoned. Sen. Original Article Related Posts

Wind power in Alaska Wind power in Alaska has the potential to provide all of the electricity used in the U.S. state of Alaska. From its installation in July 2009 though October 2012, the Pillar Mountain Wind 4.5 MW wind farm has saved the use of almost 3,000,000 gallons of diesel fuel in Kodiak, Alaska.[1] Potential[edit] Alaska wind resources In early 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the first comprehensive update of wind energy potential by state since 1993, showing that Alaska has the potential to install 494,700 MW of wind power, capable of generating 1,620,000 million kWh/year.[2] Alaska used 6,291 million kWh in 2011, so Alaska has the potential to generate all energy used in the state from windpower.[3] Projects[edit] Eva Creek Wind ProjectFire Island Wind Project[4]Pillar Mountain Wind Project See also[edit] Wind power in the United States References[edit] External links[edit] Renewable Energy Projects