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Geothermal energy is a reliable form of renewable energy that doesn’t depend on weather conditions.
What Is Geothermal Energy?
What Is Geothermal Energy?
Is geothermal energy renewable?
Yes. Due to the constant pressure and the natural decay of radioactive particles that are happening to the rock underneath the Earth’s surface, our planet is constantly producing geothermal energy in the form of heat. Long story short — as long as there’s a planet Earth, there will be geothermal energy. That makes geothermal energy 100% renewable.
Where we use geothermal energy:
Because geothermal energy is located beneath the Earth’s surface, we build geothermal energy plants in locations where the surface layer is thinnest. In the United States, the majority of our geothermal energy is sourced in states like Hawaii and California, which are full of naturally occurring geothermal vents such as geysers, hot springs and volcanoes.
How we use geothermal energy:
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy is funding research and development of applications beyond electricity, such as natural heating and cooling for buildings. These applications will help us expand the reach of geothermal energy in the U.S., empowering us to move further away from more polluting energy sources like fossil fuels.
How geothermal energy works:
If you could crack the Earth in half and take a look at its inside, you’d find layers of rock, magma and metals that look a bit like layers of an onion. As these substances continue to interact with each other and naturally decay, they produce incredible amounts of heat. That’s why we call it geothermal energy: Geothermal is Greek for “heat from the Earth.”
The pros of geothermal energy:
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The United States leads the way in geothermal power generation, with geothermal power plants in seven states and a capacity of more than 3.6 gigawatts.*
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Geothermal energy can be used for more than just electricity generation; some of its current applications include direct-use heating for buildings, regulating water temperatures at fish farms, and pasteurizing milk.
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Geothermal energy is a growing market, with new research allowing us to be better at harnessing its power.
We make it simple to choose 100% clean electricity made from renewable sources like wind energy. Let’s build a cleaner, greener tomorrow together.
*U.S. Department of Energy
This page is for general educational purposes only.
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