The Advantages of Geothermal Energy Heat
Geothermal energy refers to energy that is generated in the interior of the Earth. The word "geothermal" comes from the Greek language, with "geo" meaning Earth and "thermal" meaning heat. This energy is used to heat interior spaces.
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Power Generation
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The largest complex of geothermal heating power plants in the United States is located 70 miles north of San Francisco in an area called the Geysers. The Geysers area is a naturally occurring steam field that provides 725 megawatts of electricity. Many homes in California are heated using geothermal energy heat.
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Lower Cost
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A study conducted by the California Energy Commission in 2007 demonstrated that the levelized generation costs of constructing a geothermal plant was $92 per megawatt hour. This makes geothermal energy heat the lowest cost of all power generation methods.
Renewable Energy
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Geothermal energy is considered to be a renewable form of energy because the core of the Earth, which is where the energy comes from, is constantly producing heat. This means that this source of energy will not run out.
Environmental Advantage
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Geothermal energy emits relatively few dangerous pollutants relative to other competing forms of energy. Power and heat generated by this method produces almost no carbon emissions and does not significantly contribute to global warming.
Lower Price Volatility
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Because geothermal energy heat is renewable, the price of this type of energy will not fluctuate as much as competing fossil fuels used for heating, such as oil or natural gas, for which the price is set by supply and demand in the marketplace.
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