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Geothermal Energy: Energy from the Earth

The simplest way to get energy is to use what is already there. The heat in the earth is already there and we just need to dig into it to tap it as a source of energy.
On the surface, we can stand the heat of the earth, but deep below, immense power is stored as tremendous heat.
The core of the earth is over 60 times hotter than boiling water. This heat creates pressure that is just below the surface of the earth. In other words, we don’t have to go to the center of the earth to reach this geothermal energy. If we only dig down three miles, the temperature is over 100, enough to produce steam to produce power.
It is a simple concept: we normally use coal or oil to produce energy which is converted to electricity for our everyday use. The superheated fluids in the earth can produce the same energy to convert to electricity.
This heat is extracted in the form of molten rock (magma).
Water seeps into the earth’s core and pools in little lakes.
The hot rock in the earth heat this water and wells are drilled to bring this heated water to the surface to power generators.
As the superheated fluid passes through pipes, any solids are removed and the water is forced through pressure to produce steam. This steam will power turbines which will power generators. Generators store energy and then send it to transformers that in turn send electricity to power lines.
Geothermal energy has been used for a while, but it is not fully exploited as the source of energy it could be. In the United States, geothermal energy remains a lessor source of energy for many reasons:
a. A lot of study and research must be done to find areas that are most conducive to geothermal energy.
b. Some geothermal sites may not produce steam for a long enough time to run generators.
c. It is very expensive to build a geothermal power plant, and the return is not guaranteed.
d. The process of bringing up the heat may also bring up materials that may be hazardous.
These factors make us wonder whether it it worthwhile to develop this source of alternative energy in a location.
Hopefully, these problems can be outweighed by the benefits:
a. Geothermal energy uses natural heat, and therefore does not cause any pollution.
b. You do not have to use energy to get the energy of geothermal heat, which is sometimes the case of other alternative energy sources.
c. We conserve fuel.
d. It does not require as much room as a traditional power station.
We will have to weigh the pros and cons of geothermal energy before it can be decided how feasible it is to use. But constant developments may eventually make it a perfect alternative fuel.

Solar Energy Profile: Straight from the Source

Every day, the Earth receives more energy from the sun than mankind uses in a year. Still, solar energy remains a tiny sliver in the global energy mix. Falling prices and better efficiency could change this, but can it happen fast enough?When it comes to meeting energy needs, humanity has not been able to eliminate the middle man. The energy we use today comes from the sun, but we get it indirectly. Sunrays fed countless generations of plants and organisms millions of years ago, which we now use to burn to produce electricity, heat our homes, and run our cars. Its heat also strikes up the winds that we use to sail ships and run turbines. Despite our dependence on the sun, mankind has still not fully realized the potential of harnessing the sun?s vast energy directly. Worldwide Importance and Future TrendsEven with steady annual growth, the International Energy Agency says solar energy – combined with wind and geothermal power – still only supplies less than one percent of the world?s energy. In Germany, the global solar market leader, solar supplies around 0. 3 percent of national electricity demand; in the United States, it supplies less than 0. 1 percent. The UN?s annual “Global Trends in Sustainable Development” report said that the solar sector attracted 16 percent of the 70 billion U. S. dollars invested in renewable technology in 2006 – behind wind (38 percent) and biofuels (26 percent). According to the World Energy Council, solar water heating market is growing at a rate of around 20 percent a year, and solar PV at 35 percent. If the costs of solar technology continue to drop, it has a chance to compete with other forms of energy production. In places like sunny California, solar has already reached “grid parity,” which means the costs of producing solar power are now competitive with conventional energy production even without government subsidies. Sinking production costs would allow solar power to eventually join or even replace coal, gas, and oil as a primary energy source by the end of the century, which some experts say is possible. Global Resources and ProducersThe amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth?s surface every 20 days exceeds the energy trapped up in all of the planet?s coal, oil, and natural gas reserves. The trick is finding cost-effective and efficient ways of converting this abundant resource into usable energy. Currently, there are two main ways of doing so. Photovoltaic (PV) panels, thin pieces of crystalline silicon, transfer sunlight directly into electricity. Solar thermal collectors, on the other hand, are used to heat water for domestic or industrial use and to run steam power plants. Germany is the world?s leading producer of PV and solar heating technology and energy. In 2006 alone, 968 Megawatts (MW) of PV was installed in Germany. Japan, which added 292 MW last year, is also an important market and exporter of PV technology. China is aggressively adding solar systems to its energy mix. The country already consumes half of all solar-heated water in the world, and aims to increase solar water heater coverage by 50 percent by 2010. China is also emerging as an important producer and consumer of PV cells, which the government is integrating in remote and urban area. Energy OutputThe energy output of photovoltaic and solar heating depends on the size location of the system. Most areas receive ample sunlight, but deserts that seldom get cloud cover are better suited for solar energy production. Standard PV cells have an energy conversion rate of 6 to 8 percent, meaning that 6 to 8 percent of all solar power absorbed is turned into energy. Some prototypes have already achieved conversion rates of more than 40 percent, but are still too expensive for mass-market production. Solar heaters utilize solar collectors that are significantly more efficient. Current collectors turn between 60 to 70 percent of absorbed sunlight into heat. Concentrated solar thermal systems use mirrors to reflect sunlight onto a tower, producing extremely hot temperatures to boil water or other fluids and produce steam to drive a thermal power plant. An 11 MW concentrating solar power plant was completed near Seville, Spain in March 2007. A 154 MW facility is planned in Australia, and a 500 MW system in California?s Mojave Desert. Environmental Impact and DrawbacksManufacturing and installing solar systems requires energy, and as with almost any industrial activity, involves handling hazardous materials, such as arsenic and cadmium. Mass production of PV cells is sometimes marred by shortages of quality silicon. Large-scale solar power plants also take up lots of land. Overall, however, the environmental impacts of switching to solar energy are positive. Solar heaters require significantly less fossil energy input than natural gas and electric systems. PV systems are cleaner energy producers compared to coal and oil. Greenhouse gas emissions of solar PV plant including production and installation are eight times less than that of a coal-fired plant. The initial costs of solar heating and PV systems, however, prevent many homeowners from installing them. But falling costs and subsidies have helped sustain market growth in some countries. Like with wind turbines, another technical problem is effectively storing solar energy to provide power throughout nights and cloudy days.

Geothermal Energy – Untapped Unlimited Renewable Energy From The Earth

With people looking for more and more ways to find renewable energy sources, many don’t realize they are standing on top of one of the greatest energy resources on the planet. The Earth’s core is at an unbearable temperature, hotter than anyone could possibly even fathom. This heat builds up so much pressure in the Earth’s core that it has to be released in some way. These releases are known as geothermal energy. The hot water and steam from the Earth can be used in a number of ways to create energy. This is a renewable energy because the heat in the Earth’s core is constant and the water replenishes from rainfall.
There are different ways to use geothermal energy that include direct and indirect uses.
- The heat from the Earth could be used as a direct source for heating systems. The hot water close to the Earth’s system is directly pumped into heating systems.
- Generators in power plants require steam at very high temperatures to work. Geothermal power plants are built near reservoirs to tap the natural resource. The power plants use steam or water close to the surface to operate its generator.
- Geothermal heat pumps use water near the Earth’s surface to control building temperatures. This renewable energy source can regulate entire towns and villages.
Using geothermal energy isn’t a new concept. History has shown that people in ancient times have used hot springs for cooking, bathing and heating purposes. Even today many believe that natural hot springs have healing powers. There are many people who still bathe in hot springs. In Reykjavik, Iceland 95 percent of the buildings are heated with geothermal district heating systems. Hot water near the Earth’s surface is pumped directly into the buildings.
The Unites States is one of the leaders in geothermal power. The country has more geothermal power plants than any other, however, it only accounts for one percent of the electricity produced in the U. S. California (33), Nevada (15), Hawaii (1) and Utah (1) are the only states with geothermal power plants.
There are opponents of geothermal energy. While there are uses for it, criticisms have been raised. Some believe this is not a long term solution nor could it be used in huge environments. There are others who think creating geothermal power plants would cost too much money and drain money from researching other valuable energy resources. People are also concerned that if magma is tapped, it could bring up dangerous and harmful particles.
One thing is certain, more research is needed to make an educated conclusion about geothermal energy. There is too much guessing going on and not enough doing. There are results of natural geothermal reactions. These happen everywhere and come in the form of volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. With geothermal reactions occurring naturally, humans should find a safe way to tap into it.

Healing from Alternative Energy

The principle of alternative energy healing is to use the body’s own energy or “qi” towards good health.
This practice began in the Far East and is still used as a traditional medical treatment there.
But now westerners are realizing the value of alternative energy healing for their aches and pains.
Alternative energy healing uses the principles of balance and harmony to heal.
Practitioners believe that if the body is out of balance, illness will result.
Using various techniques of physical contact combined with the psychological, they attempt to balance the flow of the body’s energy.
There are a number of different kinds of alternative energy healing.
Some of the better known ones are:
Accupuncture. Needles are lightly imbedded into the pressure points of the body, of which there are many, to produce healing.
How do they locate all of the pressure points of the body?
A practitioner has to learn the main pressure points on the body and then can find four more for each one by moving three inches to the north, east, south and west.
Novices should never attempt to practice accupuncture, even if they do know the proper pressure points.
It takes years to properly master the technique of accupuncture and if done improperly by an untrained person, the result could be fatal.
Qigong. Through physical manipulation, the practitioner directs the flow of “qi” through the patient’s body.
Special exercises and movements are used to open up channels into the patient’s energy.
The practitioner then directs the energy from his body into the patient’s body. As a result, balance and harmony are restored to the patient.
T’ai Chi Chuan. If you watch T’ai Chi Chuan in action, you may think it is a form of martial art. It is also a form of alternative energy healing.
In the same way that Qigong does, it uses exercises and body movements to bring about balance. This energy flows from the environment.
The effectiveness of this type of alternative healing has been demonstrated by the aged of the Wudan mountain region of China. In only one example, a 100 year old nun turned her grey hair black through the use of daily T’ai Chi Chuan.
This is an amazing feat.
Some believe that alternative healing such as this may be the secret of immortality.

If we could only get up each morning and practice T’ai Chi Chuan, we would always be able to move.
Biofeedback. This kind of alternative healing uses the power of the mind to promote healing.
People who practice this believe that the mind is the determining factor in illness and many diseases come from psychological causes.
Using “mantras”, the proper psychological level is achieved to rid the body of negative energies.
Many people swear by this type of alternative healing.
People who are very adept at this are even able to control the involuntary functions of the body such as their heartbeat.
It seems difficult to believe, but it is true.
Esoteric. This is an alternative energy healing principle that uses rituals to have outside energies bring balance to the body.
Practitioners believe that certain rituals, along with the proper attitude of the patient, can bring these forces and correct any negative energies.
There are books that practioners refer to that give the secrets of these rituals.
They are kept secret and their power is supposedly increased if they are written by hand. This is the way the secrets are kept to the select few who practice this craft. There are many more of these types of alternative energy healing, and modern science is just starting to see how they can be applied.
Many of these practices work very well to promote healing.

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