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Alaska Looks To Volcanos For Geothermal Energy
Iddo Genuth writes "Alaskan state officials have recently announced their intention to begin funding the exploration and surveying of Alaska's largest volcanoes in hopes of utilizing these as a
source of geothermal energy. They say this volcano could provide enough energy to power thousands of households, and according to some estimates, Alaska's volcanoes and hot springs could supply up to 25% of the state's energy needs."
While very neat, if we did tap geothermal resources nationwide to get up to supplying 25% of our electrical needs within a few decades, we'd still be behind Iceland. According to Wikipedia, Iceland generates 26.5 of its electricity from geothermal power. Strange to think that a place called Iceland has so much available heat for power generation.
Going a bit astray, has anyone seen the episode of Science Channel's "Eco-Tech" featuring the rooftop windmills designed by Aerotecture? Pretty cool.
Start a happiness pandemic
Some major right-wing relgious group did in fact install a geo-thermal. But it was shut down. They chose to use direct steam, which potentially would drain the water that feeds old faithful. But I think that a binary system would make sense. That way, the heat is used, not the water.
Yeah, I have wondered the same thing. It seems that if you lower the temps, it might make it better. Of course, it could make it worse. But hey, do research during the time that we are taking the heat.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Scary, isn't it? Unless we carefully condense the steam even geothermal energy doesn't solve global warming. And at present, we don't.
me <- geothermal fan
But we have to be aware of the consequences of everything. We can breed our way out of the benefits of geothermal energy in under a century even if we condense the steam.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
I think the Vikings/Erik the Red named it that to try to con people into living there after realizing Iceland wasn't such a great name for people seeking warmer temperatures or a better place to live than Scandinavia. It wasn't like you could just log onto the web or visit a travel agent back then to check the regional climate of Greenland, heh heh.
That argument is the same one as saying that wind generators wipe out the birds or that CFL have mercury in them.
Yes, SOME wind generators have killed birds (esp one in CA). But over all have not. More important, these are MUCH better on birds than the pollution being put out by coal plants.
The same issue with the mercury in CFL. The CFL has a small amount of Mercury, but FAR FAR less than what is put out by a CLEAN coal plant using a regular bulb.
The geo-thermal requires anywhere from 1 to a 100 holes. But there are plenty of dried wells in places like Colorado that make a great low-temp place (esp, since many wells were already drilled close). Secondly, oil pulls up the exact same sediments. In fact worse, because most are drilling FAR deeper these days. But by using a closed system, esp. with binaries, the pollution on the land and in the air is gone. So that leaves just that below. And since the way of the hole is piping, you really do not interfere with the local water table (barring a shallow heat reservoir). As to the multiple holes, that is also a none issue. Slant drilling works wonders. A single pad with 5 holes will do the trick. Even the EPA says it is one of the cleanest form of energy.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
In 2005, 5.0% of Californiaâ(TM)s electric energy generation came from geothermal power plants. This amounted to a net-total of 14,379 GWh. In 2005, California's geothermal capacity exceeded that of every country in the world. California currently has 2492.1 MW of installed capacity, with more under development. http://www.geo-energy.org/information/plantsNow/ca/CA.asp
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
" Wind and solar probably can't deliver the wattage"
More important than that, what power they can and always will supply will be inconsistent. Wind isn't constant, and everyone has cloudy days. A day with no wind means no power if you're relying on windmills. And during storms, you can overload the grid. Recently in Oregon, a wind farm nearly blew the local power grid when storms pushed wind speeds so high that the windmills suddenly pushed more power into the system than it could handle. Wind and solar will always supplement other sources, not replace them.
Life is hard, and the world is cruel