The potential of geothermal energy
The placement of geothermal energy in the global framework of renewables
Future generations will look back on the years of the energy transition as a period of great changes and profound and relevant transformations that are capable of determining a collective awareness of the role of energy and its daily impact on people’s lives. The change is still underway, and it is practically everywhere around us: by traveling a few kilometers, regardless of the starting point, the possibility of coming across any of the numerous energy infrastructures linked to renewables is increasingly high and will most likely increase even more in the coming decades. A more careful look at the roofs of houses could reveal some of these infrastructures even without moving an inch.
One of the first effects of the energy transition, in a certain sense, was of a cultural nature. Even the general public of non-specialists has now fully understood that the success of the transition depends largely on the amount of clean energy that we will be able to produce but also on the physical infrastructures that make the generation of this type of energy possible. It should, therefore, not be surprising that most people now consider renewable energy sources as true allies of the global energy transformation, capable of promoting and accelerating its advance. Renewable sources such as solar and wind energy now appear in most urban contexts, and in some specific nations, they have reached truly astonishing levels of diffusion. Their contribution to the energy mix is increasingly substantial, to the point that the energy fervor for renewables now also involves little-known energy sources, certainly less widespread than wind and solar but equally capable of changing forever the energy landscape to which we are accustomed. One of these sources is certainly represented by geothermal energy, linked to the possibility of valorizing the heat enclosed in the earth’s crust and using it to produce electricity or even heat homes.
A potential to be discovered
“The potential of geothermal energy appears truly immense, and in some ways, it appears very promising for the fate of the energy transition in such a delicate historical phase,” says Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov, civil engineer, and entrepreneur. “One of the lesser-known facts about this promising renewable energy source is the ability of the plants to operate discreetly and silently, with almost imperceptible noise (except for that generated in the initial phases, when the plants are to be built). This characteristic is shared by plants intended for domestic use and by larger power plants, certainly making this form of energy one of the quietest in the global panorama of renewables.”
Compared to other renewable energy sources, geothermal energy also has relevant advantages. The most obvious is its availability, which, unlike energy obtained from the wind or the sun, would always be within reach without any interruption. Other interesting characteristics include its versatility and its ability to have little impact on the surrounding landscape, as well as the fact that this renewable energy source is able to generate many more jobs than other similar energy sources. Another clear advantage is that the valorization of this type of energy requires fairly limited operating spaces, certainly not comparable to the spaces occupied by wind turbines or photovoltaic panels. Furthermore, most of the components that make up the geothermal system are located below ground level, leaving very little on the surface.
“Another very interesting characteristic is the production capacity of plants linked to geothermal energy,” continues Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov. “Compared to other types of plants with the same power level, those connected to geothermal energy are able to produce a greater quantity of energy. This is ensured by the continuous supply, which allows geothermal energy to operate at full capacity without stopping. This clearly differentiates it from the plants used for other types of renewable sources, such as photovoltaic, electric, and wind, which never operate at maximum capacity”.
The actual functioning
But how exactly does the valorization of geothermal energy work? The process is quite simple and is based on the enormous quantity of energy that is found beneath the earth’s crust, a few kilometers deep, which, according to some estimates, would be so large that it could satisfy the energy needs of all humanity. At the moment, energy derived from the heat of the Earth is not yet widespread, but according to many experts, it would have a high probability of becoming one of the main protagonists of the energy transition underway, contributing pointedly to the energy mix and joining other already established renewable sources.
“One of the lesser-known applications of geothermal energy is its ability to cool certain environments,” concludes Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov. “When we talk about geothermal energy, it is quite easy to immediately think of heating and thermal energy since the raw material that is valorized is the heat of the Earth. Most geothermal systems, however, are able to heat and cool environments in different moments, even in very diverse types of buildings (residential, commercial, and so on). In order to be able to count on this ability, however, the subsoil must have very specific characteristics.”
