LINKS ON GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
International Geothermal Association
Scientific, educational and cultural organization established to operate worldwide
url: iga.igg.cnr.it
Idaho National Library
Information on Geothermal energy in Idaho
url: http://geothermal.id.doe.gov/index.shtml
Clean Energy Basics
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
url: www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/geothermal.html
Geothermal energy facts
California based website promoting public understanding of geothermal resources and its importance.
url: http://geothermal.marin.org/pwrheat.html#Q1
Canadian Geothermal Energy Association
A non-profit association of professionals, researchers and the public that are interested in the protection and understanding of geothermal resources.
url: www.geothermal.ca/
From the earliest of times, the presence of hot springs, volcanoes and other thermal phenomena have made our ancestors realize that the interior of the Earth was hot.
The oldest and most common way geothermal energy was used in the past was for pure relaxation in the warm waters of hot springs. But after a while this warm water became more useful. For example, the Romans used geothermal water to treat eye and skin disease, and in Pompeii they used the energy to heat buildings. Native Americans have used the energy for cooking and medicine as early as 10,000 years ago.
However, it was not until the sixteenth and seventeenth century that man deduced, from simple physical sensations, that the Earths temperature increased in depth. Today we are harnessing this power better and better as new technologies and materials are discovered. New materials that are discovered with very good heat conducting ability, stimulate new geothermal devices to be built that allow us to bring that energy from the earth and put it in to our walls.
FUN FACTS ON GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
 The temperature of the Earth varies widely, and geothermal energy is usable from a wide range of temperatures.
Alone, the united States produce over 2700 megawatts of electricity from geothermal energy.
From many measurements and experiments, scientists have found that while depending on the region, the ground temperature will increase by about 15 – 30 degree Celsius per 1000 metres depth.
SIMPLE AND CREATIVE WAYS GOETHERMAL ENERGY CAN BE USED
Of course, the most popular would be the relaxation of a nice hot spring. But hot springs can be used for more than resting. They can be used for bathing, cooking food and even for medicine.
Current uses include heating either individual buildings or entire towns, raising plants in greenhouses, drying crops, heating water at fish farms, and several industrial processes, such as pasteurizing milk.
There are devices becoming available that allows you to power your individual residence with geothermal energy.
ENVIRONMENTALY FRIENDLY ADVANTAGES OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
It’s clean. Like wind and solar power plants, Geothermal power plants don’t have to burn fuels to manufacture steam so they can turn the turbines.
Creating electricity using geothermal energy helps to conserve non-renewable fossil fuels, and by decreasing this usage, we reduce atmosphere-harming emissions.
The land area required for the power plants is smaller than other types of power plants, saving our Earths beautiful land.
Geothermal power plants are made to run all day, all year, making them extremely reliable.
Money doesn’t have to be exported to import fuel for geothermal power plants. The “fuel” for the plant is always located where the power plant is.
With the installation in a remote location, it can raise the standard of living by bringing electricity to the population.
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