HEAT FROM EARTH

HOT ROCK HOT WATER!

Geothermal energy is the heat from the Earth. It's clean and sustainable. Resources of geothermal energy range from the shallow ground to hot water and hot rock found a few miles beneath the Earth's surface, and down even deeper to the extremely high temperatures of molten rock called magma.

In the United States, most geothermal reservoirs of hot water are located in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii. Wells can be drilled into underground reservoirs for the generation of electricity.

Some geothermal power plants use the steam from a reservoir to power a turbine/generator, while others use the hot water to boil a working fluid that vaporizes and then turns a turbine.

Hot water near the surface of Earth can be used directly for heat. Direct-use applications include heating buildings, growing plants in greenhouses, drying crops, heating water at fish farms, and several industrial processes such as pasteurizing milk.

Almost everywhere, the shallow ground or upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C). Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this resource to heat and cool buildings. A geothermal heat pump system consists of a heat pump, an air delivery system (ductwork), and a heat exchanger-a system of pipes buried in the shallow ground near the building.

In the winter, the heat pump removes heat from the heat exchanger and pumps it into the indoor air delivery system. In the summer, the process is reversed, and the heat pump moves heat from the indoor air into the heat exchanger.

Many technologies have been developed to take advantage of geothermal energy

The heat removed from the indoor air during the summer can also be used to provide a free source of hot water.

Hot dry  rock resources occur at depths of 3 to 5 miles everywhere beneath the Earth's surface and at lesser depths in certain areas. Access to these resources involves injecting cold water down one well, circulating it through hot fractured rock, and drawing off the heated water from another well.

Currently, there are no commercial applications of this technology. Existing technology also does not yet allow recovery of heat directly from magma, the very deep and most powerful resource of geothermal energy.

CLEAN ENERGY

Top 5: Countries that invest in alternative energy

What are the countries that are investing more money on developing alternative sources of clean energy?

1) China

For the first time in history, China tops the list with the investment of a spectacular amount of resources: $ 34.600 million in projects and infrastructure related to alternative energy, ie more than 30% of the total investment of the G20 in this item . China, like the United Kingdom, has emphasized in wind power as its main alternative, allocating to it 70% of its total investment followed by solar energy with a distant 8%.

 

2) United States

Debuting in second place after many years at the helm, the U.S. invested about $ 18.600 million dollars in developing alternative energy sources. Despite leading the technological innovation and financing of new projects, the lack of manufacturing has made them lose the privilege of first place.

3) United Kingdom

The priority of the UK, building on its shores, is the wind energy sector that accounts for 57% of its total investment. The $ 11.200 million dollars that the English used in the financing of projects to produce alternative energy resources, equivalent to 10% of the total investment that G20 countries used in this area.

4) Spain

Despite our somewhat surprise, the Spanish government, in conjunction with private industry, have worked extensively in the field of alternative energy, which has earned them fourth on this list. In 2009 the Spanish invested $ 10.400 billion in clean energy, with emphasis on solar and wind resources, and thus position themselves as the second European nation to greater investment in this area.

 5) Brazil

The Latin American giant, Brazil, confirms its strengthening in the areas most relevant to the development of a nation. Brazilians dominate, for four years, the global market for biofuels made from ethanol. Same have bet hydroelectric infrastructure. Both factors allow l placed in the fifth position.

The development of alternative energy sources is no longer a strategic move to become a requirement of almost any country. So we decided to confirm, thanks to a report from the Pew Charitable Trust, which are the five nations that are investing more money in so-called "clean energy"