Geothermal Technology

[sakinago]

Not to derail Chris' thread on Solar Panel technology and turning it into which "green" energy source is better I decided to make a thread on the technology I see paving the way towards more efficient and less enviromentally damaging energy.
IMO by today's tech standards both Solar Panel and Wind Turbine energy are not up to par for breaking us away from the Fossil Fuel Tit, the way to go is Geothermal. Raser Technologies Inc. is a cut above the rest with their introduction of the closed loop, lower temp modular that they have already built in Utah;

With alternative energy, sometimes it's as simple as getting energy from the earth.

"What we are doing is literally farming heat from the earth," says Brent Cook, CEO of Raser Technologies Inc., talking about the revolutionary new closed loop, lower temperature, and modular approach the Utah-based company is taking to geothermal power development.

What's particularly exciting is that this same power generation technology has the potential to be applied in any industrial setting where heat is a byproduct.

"I predict that it will revolutionize the power industry," Cook says. "Now, instead of building mammoth power plants that are belching smoke, we are talking about many smaller plants."

The company's new geothermal power plant near Beaver, Utah is a potential model for the future, consisting of 50 mini power plants, each tied into the geothermal resource and capable of working independently. This approach to power generation is simply an idea whose time has come, says Cook.

Back Issues: Back Issues, altenerG.com - enerG Alternative Sources Magazine - enerG, Archives

The bold section is where it becomes really interesting. Imagine being able to draw energy from the waste heat from an industrial site!

I agree that solar and wind aren’t up to par. But don’t you have to dig pretty far down for geothermal?

 

[Old Rocks]

Depends on where you are. On the slopes of the Newberry Volcano, not far at all, on the East Coast, pretty deep in most places.

 

[sakinago]

Depends on where you are. On the slopes of the Newberry Volcano, not far at all, on the East Coast, pretty deep in most places.

Oh well I knew that, the picture kind of suggested they’ll just dig 15 feet under your house and boom

 

[Old Rocks]

I think that you are confusing the geothermal used to heat and cool a home by the fact that about 10' under the ground, the temperature is about 55 degrees year around. You use that to warm or cool the air according to the time of year. It can come from as little as 15', but is usually deeper. The geothermal that we were referring to is hot, either hot water or steam.

The Future of Geothermal Energy (MIT-2006) | Geothermal Energy | Electricity Generation

 

[longknife]

I think that you are confusing the geothermal used to heat and cool a home by the fact that about 10' under the ground, the temperature is about 55 degrees year around. You use that to warm or cool the air according to the time of year. It can come from as little as 15', but is usually deeper. The geothermal that we were referring to is hot, either hot water or steam.

The Future of Geothermal Energy (MIT-2006) | Geothermal Energy | Electricity Generation

It amazes me that primitive cultures understood the benefits of digging into the earth to make their homes and storage facilities. Might be 100° outside but nice and cool inside.

 

[elektra]

Depends on where you are. On the slopes of the Newberry Volcano, not far at all, on the East Coast, pretty deep in most places.

Liar, link liar link

 

[Old Rocks]

Post #44, you poor illiterate bastard.