geothermal power & biofuels

• Geothermal energy:

  The thermal energy generated & stored in the Earth’s crust.

  • It originates from the original formation of the planet & the radioactive decay of materials like uranium deep in the Earth.

  
• Pros of geothermal power plants:

  • Reliable & Base Load Power, Unlike wind & solar, they can operate consistently 24/7.
  • Low Operating Costs, Once operational, plants have minimal ongoing fuel or maintenance costs.

  Clean & Renewable Energy:

  • Uses heat from the Earth's core (a practically endless & sustainable source) & produces little greenhouse gas emissions.

  Small Amount of Land:

  • They typically require less land area compared to other renewable energy facilities like wind farms or solar arrays.

  
• Cons of geothermal power plants:

  • Geothermal activity can be linked to increased seismic activity (earthquakes).
  • Drilling deep wells & building power plants can be expensive.

  Environmental Impact:

  • Potential for air & water pollution from escaping gases & disruption of local ecosystems.

  Limited Geographic Availability - Only viable in areas with:

  • hot springs
  • geysers
  • volcanic activity

  So it can't be used everywhere.

  
• Bio-Fuel:


  Fuel that’s made from recently living organisms like plants or algae.

  • As these organisms can photosynthesize, so they can look up the sun’s energy.
  • Which can then be released later, when we burn them for fuels.
  • We can also use animal waste, but this is often done on a smaller scale.

  
• Pros of bio-fuel:


  Renewable Energy:

  • they're from organic materials like plants & algae, making them a renewable energy source. 

  Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

  • Compared to fossil fuels, biofuels generally emit fewer greenhouse gases.

  Pollution Concerns:

  • Biofuel production & processing can potentially contribute to air & water pollution if not managed sustainably.

  
• Cons of bio-fuel:


  Land Use:

  • Production of biofuels can compete with food crops for land, potentially decreasing the amount of food for the public.

  Indirect Emissions:

  • Using land for biofuel production causes deforestation, which can increase carbon dioxide in the air.

  Water Usage:

  • Some biofuel crops require significant water resources, which can reduce water supplies.

  
• • Natural geothermal energy provides the heat for hot springs. 
  • Geothermal energy can be used directly for heat or to generate electricity.
  • Geothermal power stations provide a reliable source of electricity.

  
• Geothermal energy for heating:

  In regions with lots of volcanic activity, the ground is naturally very hot.

  • So when we pump cold water down into the ground it will be heated by the hot rocks.
  • If we pump this hot water back up to the surface we can use it to heat our homes.

  
• Geothermal energy for electricity:

  Leave the water underground, until it heats up so much that it’s converted to steam.

  • As the gaseous steam rises, the gas turns turbines, which drives the generators to produce electricity.

  
• Biofuels are carbon neutral.

  • Although burning biofuels release carbon dioxide
  • They absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide while they were growing.
  • So there’s no overall release of CO2.

  
• In theory biofuels should be carbon neutral, but in reality they are not.

  Because In order to grow the biofuels, we often have to clear land by cutting down trees.

  • So the trees can no longer photosynthesise & absorb CO2 themselves.
  • Will also release large amounts of CO2 if burned.

  
• The pros of biofuels:

  • They can be used in cars
  • They're easy to transport
  • Cheap to make
  • Can mix with fossil fuels like petrol
  • they can be used in the vehicles that we already have

  
• The cons of biofuels:

  • They require a lot of energy to harvest, process & transport (more CO2 being released)
  • They require a large area of land to grow the plants by converting natural land, like cutting down forest.
  • So even before we get the first crop of biofuels, we already damaged the environment.
  • Also potentially burned down the loads of trees, releasing tons of CO2.

  
• Geothermal energy:

  Heat from the earth is used to heat water to produce steam that drives the turbines to spin & generated electricity.
• Biomass energy:

  • Animal & plant waste has chemical energy.
  • After decomposition, this waste produces chemical energy in the form of gas.
  • Gas is used as a fuel.