Geothermal Uses

One of the cleanest sources of energy in the world is geothermal. It comes from underground hot rocks. Water is pumped down to the rocks in order to produce steam. In some parts of the world, steam comes to the surface naturally and is used to power steam turbines that generate clean electricity. It is a rather flexible source of power and there are several geothermal uses, which humanity has been tapping into for centuries.

One of the most common geothermal uses is heating residential districts and businesses. In the U.S., the first time a district made use of geothermal was in 1893. In France, geothermal use goes back to the 15th century. Many farmers use geothermal power to heat their greenhouses. That�s what happens in Tuscany, Italy, where farmers have been using geothermal power to grow vegetables in the winter for centuries now.

Other geothermal uses include heating sidewalks and roads to prevent freezing during winter. Geothermal can be used to channel the Earth�s natural heat to warm homes (it requires equipment, but existing ductwork can be retrofitted). Besides that, geothermal energy is used to dehydrate food, to do laundry work and at spas. In fact, in 1990 geothermal hot water was being used at 218 resorts.

Geothermal power generation is a clean alternative to fossil fuel and probably the most promising of geothermal uses. It uses the heat and steam trapped in the earth to produce electricity, with no greenhouse emissions in the process.