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Now days, it is a general observation that countries are trying to figure out what is geothermal energy. It is generated by taking advantage of nature’s energy reserves provided. The energy is generated using the heat stored beneath our planet’s surface. Among all the sources of energy generation around the world, geothermal energy provides about 0.4% of the world’s energy. The word geothermal comes from Greek literature meaning which means “earth heat”. Geothermal energy came first on the scene when in Italy; a person named Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal plant in the year 1904. So we can say that Italian geothermal pioneers brought the first geothermal plant on the scene. Now most of the countries are bringing this technology to mass scale. Presently the world biggest geothermal power plant is situated at geothermal field in California.
The main purpose of extracting the energy from the earth crest is to generate electricity. The generation of geothermal energy is dependent upon the natural supply of temperature, depth and quality of the water and steam in the area. The main source of geothermal energy can be found inside the earth core, at a distance of about 4000 miles beneath the surface. Our planet earth comprises of number of layers. These include solid iron core (which is the center of the earth), above that is a layer of hot melted rocks called magma, mantles is the layer above magma which is about 1800 miles thick and the outer layer of the earth is called crust which comprise of the lands (i.e. continents, islands and oceans etc.). The earth crust is divided into plates and at the edge of these plates; the earth magma comes closer to the surface, resulting in the formation of volcanoes. Around these places where the magma comes closer to the surface, the rocks and water absorb the heat from this hot melted magma. This heated water is finally used in the generation of geothermal energy that is eventually used to produce electricity and heating up the buildings.
There are number of uses of geothermal energy. As discussed earlier, they are used in the generation of electricity and in the development of geothermal heating systems for the buildings. This heating system uses geothermal heat pumps for the purpose. The area where the hot water is near the earth surface is pipes directly to the buildings using these geothermal pumps by district heating systems. Other uses of this form of energy include growing crops, drying fruits, vegetables and lumber etc. there are cases where these pumps are also used as cooling agents. Thus these can be termed as “geothermal heating and cooling pumps”.
The geothermal energy history starts from the ancient times. In those days, people normally used the hot mineral springs for bathing, cooking and heating purposes. Although this trend is still there in most parts of the world as people think that the hot mineral springs have got natural heating powers. It is believed that about 10,000 years ago, human use of geothermal resources in North America. Arkansas is considered to be the city of Hot Springs, is always been center of attention for the researchers. This is the place where first commercial use of geothermal energy occurred, that happened in the year 1807. Another place which is considered to be a huge resource for geothermal resources is San Francisco, California. These resources were first discovered by a person named William Bell Elliot. He thought that as if he found the gates of hell.
On a larger scale, the geothermal energy is generated using geothermal Power Plants. Normally geothermal power plants use hydrothermal resources to generate geothermal energy. Hydrothermal resources have got two most common ingredients namely water and heat. These power plants require very high temperature hydrothermal resources. The water should be at a temperature of around 300 to 700 Fahrenheit to be used by these power plants. Although there are some disadvantages of geothermal energy as well, but it is proving so much utility to the people around that it’s consider viable for normal use these days