The use of oil and gas for energy generation costs a good deal of money. On the other hand, geothermal energy is a comparatively less costly alternative. Actually, the geothermal energy taps into the core of the earth to cool down and hate up your home.
Pros of Geothermal Energy
There are many advantages to this method of energy generation. But one of the main advantages is that geothermal energy is eco-friendly. In other words, it generates a lot less carbon footprint. Therefore, it will cause less pollution compared to fossil fuels.
We all know that geothermal energy is a type of renewable energy. Therefore, we will never run out of it. As long as the earth is alive, we will keep getting as much energy as we want. The only downside is that this method of energy production is not that profitable.
Another main advantage is that geothermal energy is more reliable than other types of energy generation methods, such as solar power. There will be no fluctuation in the energy output. Therefore, we won’t have to store a lot of energy on windlass are cloudy days.
Nowadays, geothermal energy is also popular on smaller scales. Therefore, many homeowners tend to choose thermal cooling and heating systems. This tendency will reduce the burden on the power grids.
Cons of Geothermal Energy
As said earlier, thermal energy offers a lot of advantages. Now, we are going to discuss the disadvantage of this power generation method.
One downside to this method is that it may produce light pollution. If the power plant is not managed properly, more light pollution can happen. The good thing is that most energy generation plants put the elements back into the ground, such as heavy metals.
Geothermal power plants may cause ground instability such as earthquakes. In 1997, for example, this type of plant resulted in a 3.4 magnitude earthquake in Switzerland.
Another hurdle is that geothermal power plants come with a huge cost. A lot of work is done to install these plants. The main problem is that a lot of digging needs to be done, which takes a good deal of time and money.
The efficiency of this energy generation method depends upon the location of the plant. The plant should be built close to a geothermal reservoir. Therefore, those areas of the world where there is a lot of tectonic activity can be an ideal choice for geothermal power plants.
Lastly, geothermal power plants require the expertise of highly trained and expert professionals. Nowadays, we don’t have many of these experts because geothermal power plants are not that common.
Conclusion
Without any doubt, the advantages of a geothermal power plant outweigh the disadvantage. Therefore, it is a good idea to adopt this method of power generation especially if we want to save our planet from pollution and other harmful elements. Hopefully, this article will help you understand this subject better.