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Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy. Presented by: William Murray March 28, 2007. What is Geothermal Energy?. Defined: Energy that is generated by converting hot water or steam from deep beneath the Earth’s surface into electricity. Unique renewable Natural Energy Flow Heat Mining Enthalpy.

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Geothermal Energy

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  1. Geothermal Energy Presented by: William Murray March 28, 2007

  2. What is Geothermal Energy? • Defined: Energy that is generated by converting hot water or steam from deep beneath the Earth’s surface into electricity. • Unique renewable • Natural Energy Flow • Heat Mining • Enthalpy

  3. The Heat Source • Tiny quantities of radioactive isotopes liberate heat as they decay • Core heat transfer through convection • Accessible in locations where heats interior is brought within reach • Lithospheric Plates • Significant heat flow • Volcanic activity

  4. The Heat Source Cont’d • High enthalpy systems are divided into two categories • Vapor Dominated • Best and most productive • Free of liquids • Liquid Dominated • Relies on water at boiling point • Often results in steam “flash” • Two-phase zone

  5. Geothermal Potential • Nature of the resource • Fluid Temperature • Salinity • Fluid Pressure • Gas Content • Economies of Scale • Maximum efficiency

  6. Four Main Types • Dry steam power plant • Single flash steam power plant • Binary cycle power plant • Double flash power plant

  7. Dry Steam Power Plant

  8. Single/Double Flash Steam

  9. Binary Cycle Power Plant

  10. Ground Source Heat Pump

  11. Global Capacity • Worldwide use of geothermal 9.3GW • 28 GW used directly for heating • 100GWt through ground-source heat pumps • Potential for 65-138GW • MIT claims 100GWe by 2050 • 0.3% of US energy consumption

  12. Environmental Impact • Gaseous emissions • Less than 1/10th of coal-fired carbon emissions • Dissolved gasses • Land use • Noise • Potential ground subsidence

  13. Geothermal Usage • Iceland generates 26.5% of energy from geothermal • .1% Fossil fuels • 73% Hydro • In the US • Alaska (1 Plant) • California (4.8% of electrical energy, 2.4GW installed capacity) • Hawaii (30MW on largest island, 20% of electrical energy) • Nevada(15 plants, 254MW) • Utah (reconstructed developing plants)

  14. Applications in Belize • Belize is the only country in Central America that does not have the potential for geothermal energy according to the US Department of Energy

  15. QUESTIONS?!!

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