RyushiBlade on 25/9/2006 at 21:20
Quote Posted by Agent Monkeysee
Isn't that highly dependent on geological factors though? My understanding is it's only viable in certain areas due to the composition of the ground, ease of drilling, etc.
Quote Posted by TTK12G3
That, and geothermal energy is not renewable and exploited areas tend to "cool down" after a period of time, even with careful management. Although, to be fair, they do last for decades.
Just to make sure everyone is on the same page, geothermal energy doesn't exactly come from the ground but rather the sun. The ground has a lag time compared to the air. During the summer, the ground remains cold from the winter. During the winter, the ground remains warm from the summer.
This means geothermal is renewable. So long as the seasons remain, so will geothermal heating and cooling.
Now, geothermal ENERGY is also great. Tapping into magma flows and such is a fantastic, free source of energy which will last--as TTK said--for decades. One of my friends mentioned that huge geothermal plants could produce hydrogen and then send that hydrogen to places all over the world to fuel hydrogen cells.
Agent Monkeysee on 25/9/2006 at 21:49
Quote Posted by RyushiBlade
Let me tell about the wonderful future of Geothermal Energy!
Okay that's great but you totally didn't address my post in any way, shape, or form.
Ultraviolet on 25/9/2006 at 21:52
People talk about reducing emissions and deforestation, but why don't I ever see active REforestation mentioned? We should be working this problem from both ends. If we did some research to find out what kinds of plants produce the most oxygen and/or consume the most carbon dioxide, couldn't every man populate his property with these plants? I'm not talking about filling all the open space, but things like lining your driveway with trees, putting trees up around the house (good way to insulate in the summer -- shade, especially useful for shading an AC unit so the radiator can work better), that kind of thing. And we could do it for appartment complexes, office buildings... It would both beautify and raise property value. And perhaps in cases of urban expansion, certain blocks (diagonals, every other block, like a checkerboard, not counting blocks that are already occupied -- probably less than this, really) could be used just for growing plants of this type, perhaps with paths and benches and platforms for folks to enjoy the surroundings and gather. Irrigation might be a problem initially, but more plants = more evapotranspiration and thus perhaps more natural water supply. Anyway, more plants in general, even if just minor increases in each area but major increases all over the world, could perhaps do some good.
Gingerbread Man on 25/9/2006 at 21:55
Quote Posted by RyushiBlade
Now, geothermal ENERGY is also great. Tapping into magma flows and such is a fantastic, free source of energy which will last--as TTK said--for decades.
DECADES?!! AWESOME!! Then what? And how long does it take an entire city to deplete a resource?
If we run out of coal or oil or uranium, we have options. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, etc.
If we run out of geothermal resources, what then? Enjoy the quick death of the planet in a couple of centuries?
No sir, this plan sounds far too dangerous! I think we should ban geothermal exploitation right now! For instance, did you know that if there was no underground heat then your eyes will stop working? And then you would be blind and cold! And I don't think that's something we can all agree on.
dvrabel on 25/9/2006 at 22:26
Quote Posted by Agent Monkeysee
Isn't that highly dependent on geological factors though? My understanding is it's only viable in certain areas due to the composition of the ground, ease of drilling, etc.
Correct. I skimmed the wikipedia (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy) article and it seems reasonably accurate if you're looking for an introductory article.
p.s. I don't know what RyushiBlade is describing but it's not what's typically called geothermal energy.
RyushiBlade on 25/9/2006 at 22:28
Ok, ok. Agent Monkeysee, that was my mistake. I meant to address your post but went on a bit of a tangent. I'm not saying geothermal energy is the solution for everything, just that it works.
You can drill holes for geothermal heating and cooling just about anywhere so long as the ground can support the drilling machinery. It's much easier to build the system while you build a house--a horizontal system is much more efficient and doesn't have to be laid as deeply as a vertical system.
And to address GBM's completely ridiculous post (;)), geothermal energy lasts a pretty long time anyway. There's no chance of geo-heating and cooling ever 'running out' so long as the sun shines and the seasons pass. But tapping into magma to create electricity is an entirely different matter. We'd be taking the heat directly out of the Earth without putting any back in. Honestly though, the heat should last thousands and thousands of years. You'd just have to continue drilling deeper every hundred years or so. Solar, wind, and water power are good alternatives too, but right now geothermal energy can easily be utilized in certain areas of the globe and the process is considerably more efficient, especially compared to solar power.
Quote Posted by Ultraviolet
People talk about reducing emissions and deforestation, but why don't I ever see active REforestation mentioned? We should be working this problem from both ends.
There are more forested areas in the US than there were when the pilgrims arrived. This is because vast 'tree farms' are planted to allow paper and other wood products to be made more cheaply. But! That doesn't go for the rest of the world, just North America. I agree with everything else you've said. I said that exact thing to my friends last month--why not give people incentives to plant new trees in their yard? Trees can store HUGE amounts of CO2 during their lifetime.
Gingerbread Man on 25/9/2006 at 22:30
I still think you didn't bet on going blind. :grr:
RyushiBlade on 25/9/2006 at 22:49
Quote Posted by dvrabel
p.s. I don't know what RyushiBlade is describing but it's not what's typically called geothermal energy.
I've tried to distinguish geothermal energy and geothermal heating/cooling. I referred to geothermal energy as the act of producing electricity from a geothermal source (heating water to steam which then powers a turbine, or something similar).
Geothermal heating/cooling uses pipes filled with liquid/air. The substance absorbs heat from the ground and delivers it to the surface (your home). (
http://www.shive-hattery.com/images/geothermal.gif) This simplified diagram shows how it absorbs heat from the air and releases it back into the ground, expelling cooler air into your house. In reality, those coils would be buried underground anywhere from twenty to sixty feet.
To match wikis, here's one for (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heating) Geothermal Heating and Cooling.
Ultraviolet on 25/9/2006 at 23:02
Quote Posted by RyushiBlade
There are more forested areas in the US than there were when the pilgrims arrived. This is because vast 'tree farms' are planted to allow paper and other wood products to be made more cheaply. But! That doesn't go for the rest of the world, just North America. I agree with everything else you've said. I said that exact thing to my friends last month--why not give people incentives to plant new trees in their yard? Trees can store HUGE amounts of CO2 during their lifetime.
Yeah, but I'm talking about more permanent tree covered land, where the trees live and die somewhat naturally. I don't think that having more trees now than before colonization makes up for the amount of carbon dioxide created.
TTK12G3 on 26/9/2006 at 03:18
Quote Posted by RyushiBlade
There are more forested areas in the US than there were when the pilgrims arrived.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation) Really?
Seriously, please clarify for me what you are trying to say if I am misunderstanding you.
