Geothermal+energy+new+information

__What is Geothermal Energy__ The word Geothermal comes from the Greek words Geo (which means earth) ank which means earth and therme (which means heat). Geothermal energy is heat that is inside the earth. We can generate electricity and heat buildings by using the hot water and steam produced inside the earth. Geothermal energy is a renewable resource for a couple of reasons. One is because the water is replenished by the water is cycle. And second is because the heat is constently in the earth. __Energy inside the earth__ Geothermal energy is generated about four thousand miles in the earth at the core. The temperature in the earth is hotter than the surface of the sun. The slow decay of radioactive particals continuously produce the heat. __Wher is Geothermal energy__ Pretty much all Geothermal reservoirs are found deep under ground with no clues showing you from above ground. Sometimes in a couple of ways geothermal energy can find its way up to the surface in forms of: volcanoes and fumaroles(holes were volcanicvgases are released), hot springs. and geyses. The rings of fire is where the Geothermal activity is mostly found. __Geothermal power plants__ In the western part of the United states such as Alaska and Hawaii are where most of the Geothermal reservoirs are located. California generates the most geothermal energy. California been generated electricity for over a year. Geothermal plants need high temperatures from 300 to 700 degrees fahrenheit. The United States generates the most geothermal electricety then any other country but the amount of electricity produced is less than one half percent of electrivity produced in the United States. Only four states have geothermal power plants: California - has 33 geothermal power plants that produce almost 90 percent of the nations geothermal energy. Navada - has 14 geothermal power plants. Hawaii and Utah each have one geothermal power plants. There are three basic types of geothermal power plants: Binary power plants - transfer the heat from geothermal hot water to another liquid. The heat causes the second liquid to turn to steam which is used to drive a generator turbine.
 * Dry steam plants - use steam piped directly from a geothermal reservoir to turn the generator turbines. The first geothermal power plant was built in 1904 in Tuscany, Italy at a place where natural steam was erupting from the earth.
 * Flash steam plants - take high-pressure hot water from deep inside the earth and convert it to steam to drive the generator turbines. When the steam cools, it condenses to water and is injected back into the ground to be used over and over again. Most geothermal power plants are flash plants.

__Geothermal energy and the enviroment__ The environmental impact of geothermal energy depends on how it is being used. Jeff Smith
 * Direct use and heating applications have almost no negative impact on the environment.
 * Geothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so their emission levels are very low. They release less than 1 percent of the __Carbon dioxide__ emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the steam and hot water. Geothermal plants emit 97 percent less acid rain - causing sulfur compounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants. After the steam and water from a geothermal reservoir have been used, they are injected back into the earth.
 * Geothermal features in national parks, such as geysers and fumaroles in Yellowstone National Park, are protected by law, to prevent the land from being disturbed.