The core of our earth is a very hot place with estimates of over 7,600 degrees Fahrenheit. Why is this important you might ask? Well, you might not be aware but we are running dangerously low on the sources of energy that power our homes, cars, and so on.
We depend so much on these energy sources that if we are to delete them, we could go towards chaos and anarchy. It is estimated that we could deplete all the oil in less than 40 years, and only a few years later we would run out of natural gas. Fossil fuels are also dangerously low. These fuels are beneath our Earth, and we are spending them by the minute. It would take a long time to replenish themselves, and that is the time that we do not have.
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So, how can we find another source of energy that is timeless, and will serve for the better of mankind?
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This is why we mentioned about our Earth and its core heath. Over 4000 miles below our surface, lays the core of our Earth. It is a hot place that no one can withstand its core temperature. But why is that important for us to know right now? Well, there is a theory that might be the key to our survival. At that depth, there is water and that water is constantly producing steam that can be used to power our homes and cars. It can be used to produce electricity and to heat our homes, it is clean, and it is effective we just have to find a way to tap into it. This type of source of energy is called Geothermal Energy.
What are the pros and cons of geothermal energy?
There are ups and downs to anything, and there are pros and cons of geothermal energy as well.
Pros of Geothermal Energy
- Geothermal Energy is environmental friendly in comparison to gas or oil
- There hasn’t been found a single source of pollution from it
- It is 500% more efficient in furnaces as compared to the 90% given to other sources
- It is renewable and it will last as long as our planet exists
- It can be used to heat the smallest houses to the largest of mansions
- No cost fluctuations determined by gas or oil prices
- Up to 60% saving on heating and up to 50% saving on cooling
- The heat is constantly moved in compared to being produced
- Geothermal pumps can work all year long and they are not weather-dependent like solar or wind power
- Extremely long lifespan of more than 50 years
Cons of Geothermal Energy
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- For all the cons, geothermal energy comes with high upfront costs for implementing, sometimes up to $20,000
- While it can be used to power the smallest and largest of homes, the best suitable are new homes rather than existing ones
- Electricity is still required for the pumps to operate
- While water is not a direct requirement, water is still needed for the energy wells to operate
- If discharged into the Earth, sulfur dioxide and silica could be the product of it
- While it is environmentally safe, the large geothermal power plants still pose a threat to the Earth’s surface
- It could damage tree roots, rodents, insects underground, etc, because of the power plants. They can also be difficult and costly to repair.
