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Geothermal
Energy for Electric Power
A REPP Issue Brief
By
Masashi Shibaki
With Fredric Beck, Executive Editor1
December 2003
FORWARD
This paper provides a general background on
utility-scale geothermal power and seeks to
teach the readers a basic understanding of
geothermal power, as well as build a solid
foundation for further understanding of the
technical, economic, and policy dimensions
of geothermal power worldwide. Economic data
and current U.S. geothermal policy help elucidate
the concepts of this paper. Readers may refer
to the extensive references to reports and
Web links to well-established geothermal energy
sources, at the end of this brief to become
learn the latest developments in geothermal
power’s role in clean energy generation.
INTRODUCTION
Geothermal1
energy is energy derived from the heat of the
earth’s core. It is clean, abundant, and
reliable. If properly developed, it can offer
a renewable and sustainable energy source. There
are three primary applications of geothermal
energy: electricity generation, direct use of
heat, and ground-source heat pumps. Direct use
includes applications such as heating buildings
or greenhouses and drying foods, whereas ground
source heat pumps are used to heat and cool
buildings using surface soils as a heat reservoir.
This paper covers the use of geothermal resources
for production of utility-scale electricity
and provides an overview of the history, technologies,
economics, environmental impacts, and policies
related to geothermal power.
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1The authors
would like to thank Karl Gawell and Diana
Bates of the Geothermal Energy Association
for circulating this paper for peer review
and for providing valuable comments, and Kelly
Ross and Leona Kanaskie of REPP for technical
editing of the document. |
