JavaScript disabledLearn how to enable JavaScript

Geothermal Energy: Everything You Want to Know

Earth is a beautiful, powerful planet, but it is also a planet that urgently needs to be saved. Fossil fuels and pollution are slowly depleting its power, but we can save it by using renewable energy. One part of the solution is geothermal energy, or heat from the Earth. It is a source of energy that literally comes from the Earth. We’d love to tell you more about it.

What is geothermal energy?

People have been enjoying geothermal energy for thousands of years. If you’ve been on vacation to Iceland, Switzerland, or Hungary, you may have enjoyed it too. How? Through hot springs, of course. These thermal baths use geothermal energy to heat the water. But what exactly is that? The word “geothermal” comes from ancient Greece. “Geo” means earth and “thermos” means heat. So it literally means “earth’s heat.”

How does geothermal energy work?

Carbon-free, sustainable, and renewable. Geothermal energy checks all the boxes to be a clean, cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. But how does it work? As we mentioned earlier, this energy source harnesses the heat generated by the Earth itself. According to scientists, 99.9% of our planet is warmer than 100 degrees Celsius. So it’s a massive source of energy.
In chemistry class at school, we learn that heat equals energy. Why? Because it causes atoms and molecules to move. Geothermal energy uses currents and hot springs within the Earth’s crust to generate energy. Special geothermal heat pumps convert this heat into energy to heat and cool our homes.

What is a geothermal heat pump?

Geothermal heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular. These heat pumps absorb heat from the ground and use it to heat your home. They can also be used in reverse to cool your home.

Different Types of Heat Pumps

There are generally two types of geothermal heat pumps:

Based on a horizontal collection network
Based on a vertical capture net

The first type of heat pump uses heat from the ground in your yard. A network of pipes is buried in your yard, through which a fluid will flow. This fluid extracts heat from the ground. A heat pump based on a vertical collection system works in essentially the same way. Instead of using the soil in your yard, this type of heat pump involves drilling wells. This latter type is primarily used when there isn’t enough ground area available around your home.

Other Types of Renewable Energy

Our planet has been so severely polluted by the use of fossil fuels that climate change poses a serious threat to our society. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives to these fuels, such as geothermal energy.
Would you like to learn more about renewable energy sources? Then be sure to check out our other guides. Learn more about different energy sources and how you can enhance them with our green energy products.