Geothermal Energy: Pros, Cons

Geothermal energy is one of the most underestimated resources on the planet, and yet, the Earth's natural core energy is equal to that of the sun's surface. It is clean and renewable and has enormous potential; why wouldn't we use it? Although being able to drill miles underground is considered quite a challenge, 2040 will be a great year to start working toward that goal. If the human race doesn't realize this excellent free energy opportunity soon, we may be looking at an energy hole too deep to dig ourselves out of.

To begin with, geothermal energy is not perfect. The fluid that we use to harness the heat from the hot rocks in the Earth is very corrosive. The pipes need to be replaced frequently, causing engineering problems in geothermal power plants across the globe. The fluid is also at a relatively low temperature (such as a hot spring), making it harder to harness a mass amount of energy. On top of that, geothermal energy sometimes causes structural ground problems; the escaping gases and heat from the Earth affect the geography of the area considerably. These are prominent problems, but every cloud has a silver lining.

For example, geothermal energy is completely and totally renewable. Humans are capable of mass amounts of destruction and energy consumption (which is why we are in such a dire quandary), but even we couldn't find a way to run out of a power source like the Earth's core. Geothermal energy is unaffected by weather; if a flood or a drought were to occur, would a hydroelectric plant be able to function smoothly? If a day is particularly calm, how would a wind farm operate? Almost all other renewable resources depend on the climate and weather of the area. On top of that key advantage, geothermal energy is completely free; no additional resources are required to obtain it once the hole is drilled. Another benefit is its scalability. Plants harvesting geothermal energy don't need to be as large as the river they're built on (hydro power) or tall enough to reach high altitude winds (wind energy). It all depends on the size of the hole drilled.

Incidentally, geothermal energy has immense potential in energy output. This may very well prove to be the key to solving the energy crisis; as stated in the introduction, the center of the Earth reaches temperatures equal to the crust of a main-stream star. No other type of renewable energy represents such a vast amount of raw power. The only thing separating us from all the energy our race will ever need is the crust our cities are built on.

Additionally, geothermal energy is one of the cleanest energies on the face of the Earth. The method of harnessing geothermal energy requires no harmful materials. The steam harnessed from the scorching rocks is automatically recycled back into the water cycle; nothing is wasted in the process. As well as being clean, geothermal energy is almost sustainable, meaning that as long as there are people to run the facility, it will keep harvesting energy ad infinitum. This is because the energy harvesting sequence has no net value; energy doesn't need to be spent in order to gain a larger amount of power.

All things considered, geothermal energy represents a substantial energy opportunity. It is completely clean, renewable, and its raw power is unmatched by anything else on our planet. Humans today need to realize that if they don't take advantage of this prospect, they risk giving up their way of life. Everything that separates us from nature would be tarnished; a thing of the past.