What are the Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy?
- Location Restricted. The largest single disadvantage of geothermal energy is that it is location specific.
- Environmental Side Effects.
- Earthquakes.
- High Costs.
- Sustainability.
US. With an installed capacity of 3,639MW in 2018, the US is the leading producer of geothermal energy across the world, producing 16.7 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of geothermal energy throughout the year.
Environmental issuesGeothermal power plants generate small amounts of sulfur dioxide and silica emissions. The reservoirs can also contain traces of toxic heavy metals including mercury, arsenic, and boron.
Unlike fossil fuels, geothermal energy is a renewable resource that does not emit the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
Low-temperature geothermal energy can be used for heating greenhouses, homes, fisheries, and industrial processes. Low-temperature energy is most efficient when used for heating, although it can sometimes be used to generate electricity. The low-temperature geothermal energy also supplies heat to homes and businesses. Experts say geothermal energy is cleaner, more efficient, and more cost-effective than burning fossil fuels, and it can reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Geothermal plants are also considered to be more reliable than coal or nuclear plants because they can run consistently, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Direct use applications and geothermal heat pumps have almost no negative effects on the environment. In fact, they can have a positive effect by reducing the use of energy sources that may have negative effects on the environment.
Unfortunately, geothermal power plants may have an unintended and potentially dangerous side effect: earthquakes. Whenever you drill miles into the Earth and remove material, whether it's steam, water or hot rock, you release pressure that causes the ground above the geothermal pocket to shift and subside.
Geothermal energy is used in three main ways: direct use, power generation, and ground source heating and cooling: Direct Use: The hot water in geothermal reservoirs produces heat and steam, which can be directly used for multiple purposes. In the past, hot springs were directly used for bathing and cleaning purposes.
First, it's clean. Energy can be extracted without burning a fossil fuel such as coal, gas, or oil. Geothermal fields produce only about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a relatively clean natural-gas-fueled power plant produces, and very little if any, of the nitrous oxide or sulfur-bearing gases.
An Overview of Geothermal Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|
| A reliable source as its easier to predict the power output from a geothermal plant with a high degree of accuracy. | Energy fluid needs to be pumped back into the underground reservoirs faster than it is depleted. Management is required to maintain sustainability. |
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the earth. People use geothermal heat for bathing, to heat buildings, and to generate electricity.
Flash Steam Power Plant
Flash steam plants are the most common type of geothermal power generation plants in operation today.Explanation: The two main land use problems due to geothermal power plants are induced seismicity (minor earthquakes) and subsidence. Subsidence is gradual caving in of land. Geothermal power plants do not add to greenhouse gas emissions.
Geothermal energy produces 0.03% of the emissions that coal produces and .05% of the emissions that natural gas produces. 4. Geothermal energy is more than 2,000 years old and is believed to be first used in China.
When geothermal power plants are planned and built, expenditures are made for services and equipment, as well as for taxes and royalties. These expenditures stimulate the creation of additional indirect jobs, more economic activity, and increased tax revenues.
On average, a homeowner can expect total expenses to reach between $18,000 to $30,000 on geothermal heating and cooling cost. This cost would cover a complete geothermal installation. The price can range from $30,000 to $45,000 with high-end ground-source heat pump systems for large homes.
