Geothermal energy in Iceland Because of its singular geological position, Iceland has the special conditions needed to generate geothermal energy.

The Ring of Fire is located near volcanoes, this causes the ground and core temp to be higher than usual and is a good spot for geothermal plants.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge tectonic plate boundary

Most of the geothermal power plants in the United States are in western states and Hawaii, where geothermal energy resources are close to the earth’s surface. California generates the most electricity from geothermal energy.

Myth: We could run out of geothermal energy Geothermal energy is a renewable energy and will never deplete. Abundant geothermal energy will be available for as long as the Earth exists.

Top countries producing geothermal power

• US. With an installed capacity of 3,639MW in 2018, the US is the leading producer of geothermal energy across the world, producing 16.7 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of geothermal energy throughout the year.
• Indonesia.
• Philippines.
• Turkey.
• New Zealand.
• Mexico.
• Italy.
• Iceland.

The largest geothermal plant in the world is called the Geysers Geothermal Complex, located in the United States, with a capacity of 1,205 megawatts. It is made up of 22 power plants and spread over several kilometers, located north of San Francisco.

Countries generating more than 15 percent of their electricity from geothermal sources include El Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland, New Zealand, and Costa Rica….Installed geothermal electric capacity.

Malitbog Geothermal Power Station

How deep do you have to dig? For a horizontal loop you only need to dig between 6 – 8 feet deep. For a vertical loop you need to drill between 250 and 300 feet deep.

Geothermal systems are built to last a very long time. “The indoor components typically last about 25 years (compared with 15 years or less for a furnace or conventional AC unit) and more than 50 years for the ground loop,” The Family Handyman magazine reports.

If everyone went 100 percent geothermal today, Earth’s store of thermal energy would still outlive the sun. A major contributor is the uneven heating of Earth’s atmosphere. That makes the air in one place expand and push out to other places, and that motion is what we call wind.

How much power can geothermal power plants produce? Geothermal power plants produce about 0.4% of the United States’ overall electricity output, amounting to 16.7 kWh in 2018.

2 to 10 years

In predominantly rainy or cloudy climates, solar panels will lose efficiency and may provide unpredictable service. Because geothermal energy provides up to 500% efficiency compared to gas or oil heating, it’s highly recommended over solar power in colder areas.

It is known that geothermal energy has many advantages compared with solar and wind systems. These advantages include weather proof, base load, great stability, and high thermal efficiency. The total installed capacity of geothermal electricity, however, is much less than solar and wind.

The Similarities and Differences Between Geothermal and Solar