Some of the advantages and disadvantages of using geothermal energy to generate electricity are:
Advantages of the Geothermal Energy:
(i) Clean technology:
(ii) Reliable:
Energy can be harnessed continuously.
(iii) Reusable:
Only water is used that can also be recycled.
(iv) Land Conservative:
No major land requirements.
(v) Flexible:
With growing demand for energy, additional units with modular designs can be installed easily.
(vi) Affordable:
The cost of electricity production is almost competitive with conventional energy sources.
(vii) Potential for other uses:
Useful minerals (like zinc and silica) can be extracted from underground water.
(viii) Sustainable:
It is believed that enough heat will be radiated from the centre of the earth to fulfill human energy demand for all the times to come.
Disadvantages the Geothermal Energy:
1. If the cooled water is not injected back into the reserve after the heat is extracted, following harmful effects are observed:
(a) Brine cans salinatc soil.
(b) Land subsidence can occur leading to an increase in seismic activity.
(c) Large quantities of H2S "The rotten eggs" gas can be released and inhaling it in too much quantities is fatal.
2. Geothermal hot spots are scattered and are at far away regions than the areas that need energy.
3. The overall production efficiency is lower.
4. At geothermal sites, drilling operations cause noise pollution.
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