Basic Geothermal Facts for Children

Anything that happens, from a tiny pin drop to a massive explosion requires energy; this article on geothermal energy facts for kids, aims to explain the concept of geothermal power in a simple and easy to understand way.

Energy is the ‘capacity to do work’, or in other words, it’s the power to make something happen. For instance, wind can move a windmill, sound can make the speakers vibrate and heat can make your ice cream melt, because all of these have the ability to perform an action.

Nature provides us the sources of energy that we have been wise enough to tap and use for the progress of civilization . In fact had it not been for these sources, the technological advancement of modern life would not have taken this upward trajectory.

Sourcing Geothermal Power:

Below the crust of the earth lies an enormous heat source which is where we get geothermal energy from. The term itself is self-explanatory. ”Geo” in Greek stands for earth, and ”therme”, for heat.

Geothermal energy is thus created by the heat sourced from the inner heat of the earth. The temperature reaches a couple of thousand degrees at the center of the earth. The crust, which is a good insulator, has managed to keep the temperature high.

The oldest known spa ever to use geothermal energy was located in Lisan in China dating back to the 2nd century BC.

Looking at the ground one would never be able to imagine the temperature below the surface. The only visible signs of geothermal energy are hot springs, geysers, volcanoes and fumaroles.

The trapped heat held within the earth escapes through fissures or cracks in the crust of the earth, as the crust is not a continuous layer having the same thickness. It in fact is fractured in places that are called fault lines.

While the ancient Romans , Chinese and Native Americans worshipped the land and its innate powers for reasons more than one. The modern era saw the first attempt at exploiting this source in 1922 by America at the Geysers steam field in California.

Though the initial project failed, today after a great deal of trial and error, 28 power plants are functioning in the united states alone.

Forms and Ways to Access Geothermal Power:

There are four types of geothermal resources namely hydrothermal, magma, hot dry rock and geo-pressured energy. It’s only the hydrothermal resource which has reached some semblance of advancement, while the others are at their infancy stages of utilization.

Where ever the magma comes close to sources of water a little below the surface of the earth, it heats up enough to be used for various purposes.

Most people in Iceland and many in France are using this method for heating their homes.

It may be put to use to warm fish ponds, heat public buildings, schools and for cultivation when water reaches freezing conditions.

When the temperature reaches 220 degree F, it may be used for generation of electricity. That apart, it is quite amazing to know that in some places the temperature reaches almost 1000 degree F. The two main types of hydrothermal energy used for generating electricity are-dry heat variety and the vapour variety.

Geothermal heat may be trapped by drilling wells that may travel two miles down the earth’s crust and direct the trapped steam to turn a turbine that then converts the steam to electricity.

Viability With The Environment:

Not only is it one of the richest replenishable sources of energy, its production and transmission causes the least carbon footprint.

Its emission s in terms of noxious gases and other forms of debris is the least . With some geothermal power plants reaching a capacity of more than 1000 megawatts, it is arguably the cleanest energy option for the future.

If technology and the infrastructure costs can be controlled, the energy source being continuous and most easily available, it has the potential to become the cheapest power source with the least issues of scarcity.

Though some geothermal power plants do give out some other gases such as hydrogen sulfide it can be used for products such as liquid fertilizers. In most cases these power plants use ‘scrubbers’ to ensure pollution-free production.

Geothermal power plants emit only 1-4% of the total carbon dioxide that an average power plant may produce.

To Conclude:

To summarise this article on Geothermal energy facts for kids – and adults! I will just say that I believe It’s one of the safest, most abundant, and the cleanest renewable energy options that is available to us today.

Many people believe that making it viable beyond the twenty or so countries that use it, will ensure the end of energy deficiency and a solution to many environmental and social issues.