Geothermal Energy Source

The continued radioactive decay just beneath the earth's surface is an important input in the production of geothermal energy. The earth's core has and will always be emitting this heat for years to come which is almost a guarantee that geothermal energy is here to stay, provided that man harnesses the heat from the earth's core into energy using the appropriate technology. It is for that reason that geothermal energy has the potential to meet future energy needs. Geothermal power is one of the main sources of renewable energy.

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Whether Geothermal Energy Source Can Stand Alone To Meet Future Energy Needs

Energy sources complement each other as countries cannot rely solely on single energy sources. The United States is the world's leading producer of geothermal energy. Various sectors of the economy use energy differently. Every sector of the economy uses energy differently.

The industrial sector consumes about 32 % of all the energy produced. America is an industrialized nation hence many industries ranging from manufacturing to mining. People use energy to power their cars; therefore, the transportation sector is a major consumer of energy. Most of the consumption of the total energy produced goes to the residential sector since people use energy differently in their homes. Clauser and Ewert (2017) assert that energy is used in homes for various purposes such as lighting and cooking. Energy is also used in the commercial; sector including businesses and schools, churches, restaurants, and hospitals. Putting into consideration the demand for energy, renewable sources of energy such as geothermal remain the go-to option. The government has been on the forefront towards that push. The use of appropriate technology is an important factor in the production of geothermal power which explains why the government has invested so much in the production of this type of energy.

The recent population growth and massive industrialization is a clear indication that the demand for energy is expected to grow. As earlier stated, geothermal cannot sustain the energy demand of the entire universe in a world where there is no over-reliance on a single source of energy, geothermal energy supplements other energy sources perfectly. The importance of other sources of energy such as fossil fuels which includes the likes of coal, natural gas, and petroleum cannot be underestimated (Lund and Boyd, 2016).

How Geothermal Energy Resource Would Fit Into A Diversified Mix of Non-Fossil Fuel Energy Sources To Meet Our Energy Needs

Fossil fuel is the readily available alternative to geothermal energy. Harnessing other energy sources can be a little bit expensive, for example, nuclear energy and the final output cannot guarantee to meet the energy demand of the entire nation or universe. Petroleum is readily available since it can also be imported from other countries. There have been controversies over the production of coal because of matters pollution, and it's the contribution to the degradation of the ozone layer which eventually leads to global warming. (Lund and Boyd, 2016). The location of geothermal sites is proving to be a very big challenge to the total realization of the full potential of what geothermal energy can deliver since most geothermal sites are site-specific.

Conclusion

The government's commitment to making geothermal energy one of the main contributors of energy is a clear indication that the future is very bright when it comes to matters energy. Keeping options open is also very important considering the energy demand of such an industrialized nation like the USA. Most geothermal power plant projects take time to complete which is also an important point to note hence the need for energy sources to complement each other to meet the energy demand.

References

Clauser, C., & Ewert, M. (2017). The renewables cost challenge: Levelized cost of geothermal electric energy compared to other sources of primary energy-Review and case study. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Lund, J. W., & Boyd, T. L. (2016). Direct utilization of geothermal energy 2015 worldwide review. Geothermics, 60, 66-93.