FAQ About Clean Energy

Geothermal energy works by harnessing the Earth's natural heat from within its crust and converting it into usable electricity or direct heating/cooling for buildings. This renewable energy source is abundant and available year-round, making it a reliable and sustainable option for power generation and thermal applications. Here's how geothermal energy works:

• Heat Source: The Earth's crust contains an immense amount of heat generated by the decay of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes and residual heat from its formation. The heat is most concentrated in regions with active geological features like volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs, but it can be found almost everywhere, to varying degrees.
• Drilling: To access geothermal energy, wells are drilled into the Earth's crust to reach underground reservoirs of hot water or steam, typically found at depths ranging from a few hundred to several thousand meters.
• Geothermal Reservoir: The hot water or steam in the geothermal reservoirs carries the Earth's heat energy. These reservoirs can be located in naturally occurring fissures, porous rock formations, or confined aquifers.
• Production Well: The wells drilled into the geothermal reservoirs are called production wells. Hot water or steam is extracted from these wells and brought to the surface.
• Geothermal Power Plant:

1. Flash Steam Plant: In a flash steam power plant, the high-pressure hot water from the production well is allowed to rapidly expand and "flash" into steam as it reaches the lower pressure at the surface. This steam is then used to drive a turbine, which is connected to a generator to produce electricity.
2. Binary Cycle Plant: In a binary cycle power plant, the hot geothermal fluid is used to heat a secondary working fluid with a lower boiling point (usually an organic compound). The working fluid vaporizes, driving a turbine connected to a generator to produce electricity.

• Direct Use: In some cases, geothermal energy is used directly for heating or cooling purposes without the need for electricity generation. The hot water or steam from the production well is directly piped into buildings for space heating or utilized in various industrial processes.
• Reinjection: After the heat energy is extracted from the geothermal fluid, it is usually reinjected back into the reservoir through injection wells. This replenishes the reservoir and maintains its thermal equilibrium.