Geothermal+Power

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=Geo-//logical// Power = = Christina and Ellie ("Holtwagen") = A Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland. This shows what it looks like to harness the energy. Geothermal power comes from deep inside the earth itself. The earth’s core is at the very center of the earth, and can be around 12,600°F. When people use geothermal power, they are harnessing this energy and turning it into electrical power. The following steps show how the heat energy from the center of the earth is harnessed and made into electrical energy.
 * Introduction:**

This picture is of a geothermal heated pond.This is an example of natural geothermal energy. __**The conservation of energy:**__ Heat energy from the center of the earth travels upward→ the heat energy of the water causes steam to rise in step five→ the kinetic energy of the steam rising turns the blades of the turbine → the kinetic energy of the blades of the turbine makes magnets spin inside coil wires → the kinetic energy of magnets spinning inside coil wires produces electrical energy (step six). media type="youtube" key="vSZ1dIBdOIs" height="385" width="480" This video shows the workings of the inside of a geothermal plant. = = __Turbines:__ A machine with rotating blades that turns a shaft. 1 This is the machine that turns kinetic energy into electrical energy. A turbine turns the steam that comes up from the earth and turns it into kinetic energy. __Geyser:__ A natural hot spring that intermittently ejects a column of water and steam into the air 4. This is a spring that produces steam to be used in geothermal power, but with a geyser you don't need a borehole. __Magma:__ Extremely hot melted rock that is the outer layer of the earth's core. Underground rocks and water absorb heat from this and so the deeper underground, the hotter it will be. Geothermal Power is attained by converting this heat into electricity. 6 __Cooling Tower:__ A tower in which the excess hot steam that is used to turn the turbine is cooled. Hence the name cooling tower. Once cool, the steam is then turned back into water. 1 __Generator__: The machine that turns the kinetic energy from the turbine into electrical energy. 1
 * How Geothermal Power is Harnessed**
 * 1) Heat energy coming from magma deep underground is stored in water. 6
 * 2) A borehole is drilled into the ground with a giant drill. It has to be deep enough for the heat and water to be hot enough to travel up through pipes. In some cases, natural hot springs, geysers, or volcanoes are used, and so this step is not necessary.
 * 3)  Pipes are inserted, through which the boiling hot water travels upward because the pressure is so strong.
 * 4)  The water travels into a kind of basin at the top.
 * 5)  Huge amounts of steam rise upward and turn the blades of a turbine.
 * 6)  The turbine powers a generator. Inside the generator, magnets spin inside copper wire coils. This produces electricity.
 * 7)  Excess water is injected back into the earth, and excess steam is cooled in a cooling tower, and turned back into water.
 * Vocabulary terms **__Borehole:__ a deep hole in the ground made by a drill. 1 A borehole is important in the making of geothermal energy because they are able to access the source of the hot water that makes up geothermal power.


 * Advantages of geothermal power:**
 * Geothermal energy is renewable. 2
 * Only byproduct is steam and water and a small amount of gas, that can be easily controlled. 2
 * Only a little bit of land needed to generate geothermal power. 2
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No fuel is used to generate the power. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%; vertical-align: super;">2
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Unlike wind and other powers, earth's heat is always there, no matter the weather conditions. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%; vertical-align: super;">1
 * It is not expensive once holes and structure have been built (see video 2 below).
 * It is efficient (see video 2 below).

**Disadvantages to geothermal power:**

media type="youtube" key="O6r_3AgI49Y" height="385" width="480" align="center" This video discusses how geothermal energy can help the US, and the world in general to find a cleaner, greener source of energy. It talks about the advantages and disadvantages and how it can change global warming for the better.
 * Only certain places can produce geothermal energy. 3
 * May suddenly stop. 3
 * If not handled gases can escape. 3
 * The drilling can set off earthquakes. 5
 * The drills use up a lot of energy. 3

Here is a link to an New York Times online article that discusses geothermal power. The article talks about how geothermal power relates to other types of energy, and also talks about how it can help the United States in the future. The advantages and disadvantages are mentioned, also. [|Click here to go to the website]
 * __Links:__**

1 Morris, Neal. Geothermal Power. China: Smart Apple Media, 2007. 2 __Advantages of Geothermal Energy__. 2007. Clean Energy Ideas. 9 April 2010. <[|www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articals/advantages_of_geothermal_energy.html]> 3 __Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy__. 2007.Clean Energy Ideas. 9 April 2010. <[|www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/disadvantages_of_geothermal_energy.html]> 4 __Geyser.__ 2009. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. April 10, 2010. <[]> 5 Glanz, James. __Geothermal Power.__ 11 Dec. 2009. The New York Times. 10 April 2010. [] 6 __Renewable Geothermal__. No date given. Energy Kids. 10 April 2010. []