Geothermal Energy

• The mantle and core inside of the Earth are very hot!
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY harnesses the natural heat in the mantle of the Earth to generate electricity.

• In certain locations, this inner heat is close enough to the surface to heat the ground water (often called hot springs).
• This hot water is turned into steam which spins magnets around a copper coil to generate electricity.
  • The cooled water is returned to the ground where it warms again to create more electricity.

• If the inside of the Earth cools, our planet can no longer sustain life. So as long as we’re able to live here, geothermal energy will be a potential energy source!
• How does the hot mantle and core support life?
  • The heat inside of the Earth drives plate tectonics that cycle the rock matter and create new fertile soil.
    • Volcanic islands are typically lush with plant life.
  • The solid inner core rolling around in the liquid above creates a magnetic field that protects us from solar radiation.
    • Northern lights are proof of this phenomena!

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• Because naturally existing steam spins generators, geothermal does not pollute the air.
• Since uncontaminated water is returned to the ground, no water is polluted either!

• Humans use a lot of energy to heat things, so hot water is a super useful resource on its own!
  • Hot water can also be run directly to homes and businesses, reducing the need for water heaters.
  • Pipes of hot water can be run under the floor to heat homes and melt ice on sidewalks.

• Unfortunately, not every city is located near a hot spot or tectonic plate boundary.
• But for those that are, geothermal can provide a consistent and environmentally stable source of heat and electricity!

• Hot water and electricity don’t just magically appear in buildings.
• Concrete for buildings and metal for pipes must be mined, transported and set up by equipment that burn fossil fuels.
  • While geothermal is clean at point of use, there is still environmental impact during setup.

Geothermal accounts for <1% of all energy consumed in US

US produces and consumes the most geothermal energy in the world.

• With only ~395,000 residents, the country of Iceland is a small volcanic island on a divergent plate boundary.
• While the US may produce more total geothermal energy, Iceland gets the highest proportion of their energy from geothermal!

• Geothermal ranks 2nd on the ICARE comparison, only knocked out of the top spot due to the very location specific nature of this resource.
• For countries that find themselves near a tectonic plate boundary or hot spot, geothermal is the obvious smart choice being the clean, reliable and efficient.