The Advantages of Geothermal Energy
When it comes to the advantages of geothermal energy, they are numerous. To give you an idea of just how many there are, be sure to check out this list:
First and foremost, geothermal energy is renewable, meaning that as long as we don’t pump too much cold water into the earth –cooling off the hot rocks- the energy will just keep on coming!
Secondly, geothermal energy doesn’t produce pollution, and at the same time, it doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect!
The power stations for geothermal energy don’t take up a whole bunch of room, and because of this, they tend to have less of an impact on the surrounding environment.
Because geothermal energy is energy in and of itself, no outside sources of fuel are needed to keep the power houses running.
And, even better, geothermal efficiency offers an even more exciting benefit to the frugal homeowner – once you’ve built the geothermal power station, the energy is nearly, well, free! While it may require a little energy to actually run the pump, you can tap into the energy that is already being produced to handle this task!
The Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy
As numerous as the benefits of geothermal efficiency are, there are still some drawbacks that you’ll have to face. And these disadvantages can affect any or all of the three phases of production – pre-production, production, and post-production:
Perhaps the biggest drawback when it comes to geothermal energy is that you just can’t set up a geothermal power station anywhere you want. First of all, you’ll need a location that offers just the right kind of hot rocks. Just any hot rocks won’t do, since some rocks might prove too b to drill through. These rocks also need to be within a reasonable depth to make drilling down to them a feasible option. Volcanic areas often provide the most geothermal efficiency.
There’s also another risk to consider – sometimes a geothermal site might, well, literally run out of steam. And when this happens, the dry spell may last for periods that reach into the decades!
The last disadvantage we’ll cover concerns the potential danger of geothermal energy. When you are drilling into the earth and steam is able to escape, other – not so friendly – things might escape too. Hazardous gases and minerals can seep up from beneath the ground, and finding a way to safely dispose of them may prove very difficult and dangerous.
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