Do you notice a pattern? Countries with a lot of geothermal energy, like Iceland and Indonesia, also sit right on top of a plate boundary. Map of Tectonic Plates by the National Park Service.Ĭheck out the tectonic plate map above and look at the countries through which plate boundaries cross. The yellow dots represent earthquake activity, which you can see is heaviest at the edges of the plates. Transform boundaries, shown in gold, are where plates are sliding past each other. Divergent boundaries, shown in white, are where plates are moving away from each other. Convergent boundaries, shown in red, are where plates are moving toward each other. The Ring of Fire runs along the perimeter of the Pacific Plate (National Park Service).Figure 1 - A world map showing tectonic plates and plate boundaries.That is where you will find all of the current geothermal power plants in the U.S. The western United States is a part of the Ring of Fire, so more heat is brought to the Earth’s surface in states like Nevada and California. In fact, the edges of tectonic plates are marked by lots of earthquakes, like in California, and volcanoes, like in Japan.įor example, the edge of the Pacific Plate is called the Ring of Fire, because of the especially high number of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur there (see Figure 1). These plates can grind up against each other, or slip under each other, so their edges are very hot and are considered dynamic places. Tectonic plates are pieces of the Earth’s surface that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and move around slowly, about as fast as your fingernails grow. Where Do We Find Geothermal Energy?Īlthough heat from the center of the Earth is migrating to the surface everywhere, the heat is concentrated at the edges of tectonic plates. Geothermal energy, along with solar energy, wind energy, and hydropower, is considered a renewable energy source because we can use it forever. Because these reactions deep inside the earth will continue to happen, any heat we use will be replaced, or renewed. A common byproduct of these reactions is heat, which then slowly migrates up through the Earth until we can reach it by drilling into the ground. ![]() We can use this energy not only for electricity, but also for heating and cooling buildings and for spas and hot springs.īut where does this heat come from? The heat at the center of the Earth is a byproduct of chemical and nuclear reactions happening deep in the Earth’s core-reactions that have been occurring for billions of years. Geothermal energy is renewable energy that is harnessed from the heat inside the Earth. In the future, scientists hope to expand geothermal energy use with technology improvements, bringing this powerful, fascinating energy into even more cities and towns. ![]() The water inside hot rocks is very hot as well, and when this fluid comes to the Earth’s surface, it can generate electricity that can turn on a lightbulb, charge your phone, and even power your car! Geothermal energy is green energy! It does not release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, is nearly inexhaustible, and available 24/7, because the interior of the Earth is always hot. Water is found inside rocks nearly everywhere, even very deep beneath the Earth’s surface where it is very hot. Did you know that, deep down, the Earth is really hot and that this heat can generate energy? This energy, called geothermal energy, can create electricity all over the world! It all starts with water.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |