Geothermal and the Environment

Geothermal energy has been used by people since the time of the Roman empire, but many improvements have been made since then. Geothermal energy comes from heat stored beneath the surface of the earth. This energy can be used to heat and cool homes through the use of geothermal heat pumps, or provide electricity by setting up geothermal power plants. The appeal of using geothermal energy stems from the fact that it saves much on energy costs and doesn't cause as much negative impact on the environment as fossil fuel-based energy sources do.

Geothermal heat pumps and the environment

Geothermal heat pumps use energy stored below the ground to heat and cool homes. Many homeowners and business owners are making the switch to geothermal heat pumps because these are more energy efficient. Using geothermal heat pumps also reduce the amount of emissions produced by using fossil fuel-based energy sources. Usage of geothermal heating and cooling systems emit no fumes. Geothermal heat pumps also do not require the usage of fans, which makes these kinds of heat pumps less noisy.

Geothermal power plants and the environment

One of only few drawbacks of setting up geothermal power plants is that doing so can disrupt land stability. But using geothermal energy for electricity is still better than using fossil fuel-based sources. Visible fumes rising from geothermal power plants are steam and not smoke. Unlike fossil fuel power plants, geothermal power plants do not release harmful air emissions. Environmental reviews are also done before starting with the construction of geothermal power plants. Construction of these power plants are also done in accordance to state and federal laws to make sure that impact on vegetation and wildlife is minimized.