Renewable geothermal energy

It comes from the thermal energy of the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Earth’s energy comes from the original formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of minerals. The geothermal gradient, which is the difference in temperature between the core of the planet and its surface, drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy in the form of heat from the core to the surface. The word “geothermal” comes from the Greek words “geo” – earth and “thermos” – heat. It is an inexhaustible energy source and the same way as the power from the Sun, Wind and Water it preceded life, the life that we explore in a form of fossil fuels.

History of geothermal energy

Hot springs have been used for bathing at least since paleolithic times. The oldest known spa is a stone pool on China’s Lisan mountain built in the Qin dynasty in the 3rd century BC, at the same site where the Huaqing Chi palace was later built. In the first century AD, Romans conquered Aquae Sulis, now Bath, Somerset, England, and used the hot springs there to feed public baths and underfloor heating. The admission fees for these baths probably represent the first commercial use of geothermal power. The world’s oldest geothermal district heating system in Chaudes-Aigues, France, has been operating since the 14th century. The earliest industrial exploitation began in 1827 with the use of geyser steam to extract boric acid from volcanic mud in Larderello, Italy.

In the 20th century, demand for electricity led to the consideration of geothermal power as a generating source. Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power generator on 4 July 1904, at the same Larderello dry steam field where geothermal acid extraction began. It successfully lit four light bulbs. Later, in 1911, the world’s first commercial geothermal power plant was built there. It was the world’s only industrial producer of geothermal electricity until New Zealand built a plant in 1958.

Types of use

Geothermal electricity is electricity generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power plants, flash steam power plants and binary cycle power plants. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 24 countries, while geothermal heating is in use in more than 70 countries.

Geothermal power is  immune to wind fluctuations or sun radiation. However, capital costs tend to be high. Drilling accounts for over half the costs, and exploration of deep resources entails significant risks.

Geothermal power is highly scalable: a small power plant can supply a rural village, though capital can be high.

Geothermal energy equipment manufacturers

Renewable energy

Renewable energy sources are one of our ways to preserve life – life as a symbiotic connection of all biological forms and as a self-reproducing beauty. It is our obligation to protect the Earth as mother of our life.

Renewable or alternative energy sources are just one small step in this direction. Now we have the knowledge and technology to support our community with less damage caused to the body of the planet that will feed our children and grandchildren the same way as it has done it for all creatures since the beginning.

Geothermal power – from the thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth, Hydropower or water power, Solar power or energy from the sun and Wind power are forces that were worshiped as God’s ones in ancient times and they are the heart of the alternative green energy that we can use as defender of our system.

Here, on Era-Energy, you will find a lot of useful information regarding these types of energy sources – from basic info and equipment manufacturers, through consultants, developers and installers, to the associations, governing and regulatory bodies.

What is a renewable energy? It is the one that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat. They are pollution-free and inexhaustible. Each day these resources are forming more and more of the global energy consumption.

WIND POWER

Wind on our planet is the movement of air caused by the unequal heating of large zones of Earth’s surface by the sun. Today, wind energy is mainly used for the production of electricity. It is a clean and renewable energy source that can produce enough electricity to supply millions of homes and facilities.

SOLAR POWER

Every second the Sun produces more power than the one mankind has consumed from the dawn of history, and it has been doing that for billions of years. The energy that comes from the sun is called solar energy. It is a clean energy source that can be used. It existed when the coal and gas were formed, when the man was born and though we use it in many different ways, there is still more to learn about the main source of power that we have.

People have used solar energy for thousands of years and, as the Sun is the foundation of our existence and the largest power-plant for our needs, we can try to raise the efficiency.

HYDROPOWER

Hydropower or water power is power that comes from the force or energy of flowing or falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and as main operational force of various mechanical devices, such as watermills, sawmills, textile mills, cranes, and lifts. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy.

GEOTHERMAL POWER

Geothermal energy is the energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the one that determines the temperature of matter. Earth’s energy comes from the original formation of the planet.  The word geothermal originates from the Greek roots “geo”- earth and “thermos” – heat. Gaia was the great mother of all.

If you want to be a part of this changing world, if you want to help The Earth to survive or just to be independent you can make your choice now. Here are listed most of the equipment manufacturers, decision makers, developers and organizations within the industry range.

What is wind energy?

Wind on our planet is the movement of air caused by the unequal heating of large zones of Earth’s surface by the sun. What is wind energy? It is the ability of air movement to do work. Today, wind energy turbines are used mainly for production of electricity. It is a clean and renewable energy source that can produce enough electricity to power huge areas.

The simplest way to think about the process of producing electricity from the movement of air is to imagine that a wind turbine works in exactly the opposite way to a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, turbines use the wind to make electricity.

The generator is a machine that produces electrical energy from mechanical energy.

Wind energy turbines

Today’s wind turbines could be put into two main categories based on the direction of the axis. The most common type of wind turbines used today are the horizontal-axis wind turbines. Horizontal-axis wind turbines have turbine blades that look like airplane propellers, while vertical–axis wind turbines have blades that go from top to bottom. A small percentage of wind turbines used today are vertical-axis wind turbines but they are constantly increasing popularity as they are very suitable for small-scale installations..

Size and capacity of Wind Turbines

The size of wind turbine differs widely. Small turbines are used to provide power to a single home or business and the capacity of these small wind turbines are less than 100 kilowatts. Larger commercial sized wind turbines can have a capacity of 5 megawatts. These larger turbines are frequently grouped together into wind farms providing power to the electricity grid. Wind farm normally has dozens of wind turbines that are scattered over a large area. They are lined in a way that allows the utilization of the windflow.

History of wind energy

The wind energy was the natural power that allowed the humans to exploit the surface of the planet. Sails of the ships were the wind-catchers used for transportation of men and goods over a large water areas. The windmill blades converted the wind power into physical for different purposes. One of the first electricity generating systems was constructed of 144 blades made out of cedarwood. It functioned for 20 years and charged the batteries in the basement of its inventor. During WWII, a Danish company began manufacturing bi and tri-blade aerogenerators and in the 50´s, the first alternating current turbines were developed. The first oil crisis generated a real interest in wind energy.

Large Wind Turbine Manufacturers

Small and Vertical axes wind generators