subject: Geothermal Energy-Think outside the box!!! [print this page] Geothermal Energy - Thinking Outside the Box
Part I
Geothermal energyis the heat energy (thermos) that comes from the earth (geo). The core of the earth is hotvery hotand we humans can and should use this heat to our advantage. For as long as the earth will live, the heat at its core will be there, thus making this a very powerful renewable source of energy. The heat down there can produce more than enough energy to support that earth's population in the future. However, the core may be too hot. This is why although geothermal energy is rampant, it is greatly unscathed; geothermal energy is still not that commonplace.
We talk a lot about the weather changes todayespecially global warming. Although there is substantial evidence that proves that we are contributing to it, this is not something that is entirely our fault. The earth goes through cycles in its lifespan. There was once an ice age millions of years ago and there will be one in the future, it is just the natural cycle of the earth. So we can say that we are right on the pick of that cycle and in the near future it's going to get colder-much colder! However, the only problem is that it is coming faster than actually expected. Needless to say, we need heat energy and thegeothermal energymay be the answer.
This is where geothermal energy comes into play. Geothermal energy can be used like the earliest form of energy that we have used: coal and oil in steam engines. There is more than enough geothermal energy in the earth to boil all the water we can get our hands on. The problem with geothermal energy is that we must drill deep enough as 5 kilometers in order to produce the needed energy. Drilling 5 kilometers into the earth's crust can be very dangerous and can cause calamities as disastrous as earthquakes. So what is the solution? We have to think outside the box!!!
