Geothermal Energy Basics

In Geothermal Energy Basics , you'll learn ...

• The advantages geothermal energy has over other forms of energy
• Different types of geothermal resources and geothermal power plants
• Direct geothermal uses and applications
• How to reduce heating costs with geothermal heat pumps

Overview

Credit: 1 PDH

Length: 9 pages

Geothermal energy uses the flow of thermal energy from beneath the Earth's surface to heat homes and businesses and generate electricity. Geothermal energy is also used in many industrial and commercial applications, such as agriculture, fish farming, food dehydration, gold processing, and milk pasteurizing. Geothermal energy has many advantages over other forms of energy. For instance, it is cleaner and more abundant than fossil fuels. In fact, the thermal energy in the uppermost six miles of the Earth's crust amounts to 50,000 times the energy of all oil and gas resources in the world. With advances in technology, geothermal energy is becoming a more economically viable energy choice for many applications.

This course describes the basics of geothermal energy and outlines its advantages relative to other energy sources. It is relevant to engineers who are interested in learning about an alternative energy source that can potentially reduce the energy costs and emissions of a plant, business, or residence.