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Joshua Haight
Mrs. Z
Period 2
January 27, 2016

Geothermal Energy Persuasive Essay

While there are many energy sources on Earth, some are reliable and some are not. An
example of a reliable source is solar energy; although its not available all the time, it still meets
the energy demands of people and is renewable. An example of an unreliable source is Coal; it
meets the energy demands of people but we are using much more than we can replenish and it
isnt a renewable source. Geothermal energy is one of the popular sources of energy. It is a
reliable energy source but isnt accessible everywhere.

Geothermal energy is renewable. It is heat from the Earths core and well always have
the core. People can rely on Geothermal energy to remain a widely spread source because its
replenishable. The worldwide energy consumption is about 15 terawatts (TW) which is nowhere
near the amount of energy stored inside the Earth (Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons - Energy
Informative). This means we are using a large amount of energy from this source but the
amount of our usage is hardly scraping the surface of how much is within the Earth. We get
Geothermal energy from Earths core which is made of Magma. The core is scorching hot and
we use those high temperatures to heat and cool things like buildings. Many ancient peoples,
including the Romans, Chinese, and Native Americans, used hot mineral springs for bathing,

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cooking, and heating (Geothermal Energy, 2). Weve been using geothermal energy for so
long whether its natural or drilled for and we still have an infinite supply within the Earth.

Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly; geothermal power plants carbon

footprint is minimal. Geothermal steam and hot water do sometimes contain traces of hydrogen
sulfide and other chemicals that can be dangerous when highly concentrated but the power plants
use a scrubber system to extract most of the hydrogen sulfide out from the air. Geothermal
power plants do not burn fuels as fossil fuel power plants do. They release the small amount of
about 2 to 4 percent of carbon dioxide emitted by coal plants. Geothermal power plants are very
compatible with the environment and have been built in deserts and even in the middle of crops.
Geothermal energy is renewable and does little damage to the environment.

Geothermal energy meets people's energy demands. If we use 15 trillion watts of

Geothermal energy without denting the supply, then it is reliable enough sustain the population.
Geothermal energy is excellent for meeting the base load energy demand (as opposed to other
renewables such as wind and solar) (Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons - Energy
Informative). This means that geothermal energy meets the energy demands of people better
than other sources like wind and solar energy. Although geothermal energy may not be accessible
everywhere, it meets the energy demands of people well. It is renewable, clean, and able to meet
the demands of people who have it well. Geothermal energy meets the energy demands of
people and is widely spread throughout california with over 30 power plants (Geothermal
Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative). California has many power plants and it is
because the largest dry steam field is located north of San Francisco. The Geysers are located 116
km (72 mi) north of San Francisco and contain a complex of 22 power plants. California has

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plenty of power plants but not every location has geysers or let alone access to geothermal
energy.

Geothermal energy is location specific. Some places have more than enough access to
geothermal energy, and some have no access at all. Good geothermal reservoirs are hard to
come by. Some countries have been blessed with great resources. If geothermal energy is
transported long distances by the means of hot water (not electricity), significant energy losses
has to be taken into account. (Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative).
In conclusion, geothermal energy is renewable so well have it all the time, its clean and
doesnt pollute the environment, and it meets the base load of energy demands. Geothermal
energy is location specific and that is the only downside. Overall, the pros outweigh the cons
making geothermal energy a reliable source of energy.

Work cited

Us, About, Mathias Maehlum, and Mathias Mhlum. "Geothermal Energy Pros
And Cons - Energy Informative".Energy Informative. N. p., 2011. Web. 29 Jan. 2016.
Lsa.colorado.edu,. "Geothermal Energy". N. p., 2016. Web. 29 Jan. 2016.

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