What is geothermal energy?
Q: What is geothermal energy?
A: Geothermal energy is a renewable energy made by heat inside the Earth's crust. It comes from the original formation of the planet and radioactive decay of minerals, and can be used to generate electricity, provide district heating, or other heating and cooling applications.
Q: How much of the world's electricity was generated by geothermal in 2007?
A: In 2007, about 10 gigawatts of electricity (or 0.3%) was generated by geothermal around the world.
Q: What temperature does the ground maintain at a depth of 10 feet below Earth's surface?
A: The ground at a depth of 10 feet below Earth's surface typically maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C).
Q: How can geothermal heat pumps be used to heat buildings?
A: Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this resource to heat buildings by using power to remove heat from a system of pipes buried in shallow ground near the building in winter, and reversing this process in summer. This removed heat can also be used for hot water.
Q: Are enhanced geothermal systems projects mature technologies?
A: No, enhanced geothermal systems projects are not mature technologies yet.
Q: Where are most geothermal reservoirs located in the US? A: Most geothermal reservoirs in the US are located in western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Q: How deep do hot dry rock resources occur beneath Earth's surface? A Hot dry rock resources occur at depths of 3 to 5 miles (5–8 km) everywhere beneath Earth's surface and at lesser depths in certain areas.
