How is geothermal produced?
Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable energy that has received widespread attention around the world in recent years. As environmental awareness increases and energy demand increases, the development and utilization of geothermal energy has become a hot topic. This article will discuss the generation principle and distribution of geothermal energy, as well as hotspot geothermal related content around the world in the past 10 days.
1. The generation principle of geothermal energy
Geothermal energy mainly comes from the heat inside the earth. The thermal energy inside the earth is transferred to the surface through conduction, convection and radiation, forming geothermal resources. The following are the main sources of geothermal energy generation:
| Source | Proportion | Description |
|---|---|---|
| radioactive decay | about 50% | Radioactive elements such as uranium, thorium, and potassium in the earth's interior decay and release heat. |
| raw heat | about 40% | Thermal energy left over from the formation of the Earth. |
| tidal friction | about 10% | Tidal friction caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun generates heat. |
2. Distribution of global geothermal resources
Geothermal resources are unevenly distributed around the world and are mainly concentrated at plate boundaries and areas with frequent volcanic activity. The following are the main geothermal resource distribution areas in the world:
| area | major countries | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Rim | United States, Japan, Philippines | Volcanic activity is frequent and geothermal resources are abundant. |
| Great Rift Valley | Kenya, Ethiopia | The crustal fault zone has huge geothermal potential. |
| Mediterranean-Himalayan belt | Italy, Türkiye | Plate collision zone, where geothermal resources are concentrated. |
3. Geothermal energy hot topics in the past 10 days
The following are the hot topics and content about geothermal energy on the Internet in the past 10 days:
| Date | hot topics | Main content |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-25 | Geothermal power generation breakthrough in Iceland | Iceland announced a new geothermal power station, which will increase power generation efficiency by 20%. |
| 2023-10-22 | China geothermal heating plan | Many places in northern China are promoting geothermal heating to reduce the use of coal. |
| 2023-10-20 | U.S. geothermal investment growth | The U.S. government announced an additional $1 billion in geothermal research and development funding. |
| 2023-10-18 | African Geothermal Development Cooperation | Kenya and Japan cooperate to develop geothermal resources in the East African Rift Valley. |
4. Advantages and challenges of geothermal energy
As a renewable energy source, geothermal energy has the following advantages:
| Advantages | Description |
|---|---|
| Clean and environmentally friendly | Virtually no greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Stable and reliable | It is not affected by the weather and can generate electricity around the clock. |
| efficient use | The efficiency of geothermal power plants can reach 70%-80%. |
However, the development of geothermal energy also faces some challenges:
| challenge | Description |
|---|---|
| high initial cost | Drilling and exploration are expensive. |
| geographical restrictions | Only suitable for areas with specific geological conditions. |
| environmental impact | May cause micro-earthquakes or groundwater contamination. |
5. Future Outlook
With technological advancement and policy support, geothermal energy has broad prospects for development. Countries are increasing investment in geothermal research and development and exploring deeper geothermal resources. In the future, geothermal energy is expected to become an important part of the global energy structure, providing important solutions to climate change and energy security.
In short, geothermal energy is generated from the heat inside the earth. Its development and utilization not only help reduce carbon emissions, but also provide stable energy supply. In the context of global energy transition, the importance of geothermal energy will become increasingly prominent.
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