Geothermal Energy-An Attractive Alternative Energy

According to the German standard VDI 4640 geothermal energy is stored energy as heat beneath the Earth’s solid surface, encompasses the heat stored in rocks, soils and groundwater.

The main sources of energy charge of the land are two: the first is the heat recovery of the Earth that can be assessed by the thermal gradient (variation of temperature versus depth), usually increase of 3.3 º C per 100 m depth. This heat is due to internal processes as the decay of radioactive isotopes, movements of the layered structure of the land or the crystallization of the core. If, as is the case we focus more energy in low enthalpy geothermal other source that loads the soil and is the Sun but indirectly. Since it is through the infiltration of water mainly as soil gains energy.

Geothermal energy is a series of features that make it an attractive alternative fuels, these are:

* Renewable: This is the greatest resource that exists because the heat that the Earth gives a human scale is unlimited, although it should be an on geothermal installations to protect them from exploitation and lose performance.
* Clean: Geothermal energy makes no combustion which is not directly emitted CO2, emissions come from electricity consumption to operate them being around 5 times less than in a conventional installation.
* Economic: Although the initial investment is high, with economic studies clearly shows its depreciation against conventional, being the period between 4 and 7 years on a life of the installation of 25 years.
* Efficient: Because the soil temperature from 20 meters depth is the same at any time of year, great stability, may be fitted with heat pumps less capacity than we were guided in the sizing of the exterior ambient temperature , is more punitive conditions.
* Continuous: this is perhaps the single most attractive and distinctive and unlike other renewables such as solar or wind in which there are large variations in performance depending on time of day or month. Geothermal energy depends on the characteristics of the subsoil and these do not vary with time.
* Local: Another attractive aspect is that all regions can access this energy because it is decentralized. Anywhere in the world can gain access to geothermal energy.