WHAT ARE SOME NON-ELECTRIC WAYS WE CAN USE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY?

Geothermal water is used around the world, even when it is not hot enough to generate electricity. Anytime geothermal water or heat are used directly, less electricity is used. Using geothermal water 'directly' conserves energy and replaces the use of polluting energy resources with clean ones. The main non-electric ways we use geothermal energy are DIRECT USES and GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS. DIRECT USES Geothermal waters ranging from 50 degrees F to over 300 degrees F, are used directly from the earth: 'to soothe aching muscles in hot springs, and health spas (balneology); to help grow flowers, vegetables, and other crops in greenhouses while snow-drifts pile up outside (agriculture); to shorten the time needed for growing fish, shrimp, abalone and alligators to maturity (aquaculture); to pasteurize milk, to dry onions and lumber and to wash wool (industrial uses); Space heating of individual buildings and of entire districts, is - besides hot spring bathing - the most common and the oldes ... more

Geothermal water is used around the world, even when it is not hot enough to generate electricity. Anytime geothermal water or heat are used directly, less electricity is used. Using geothermal water 'directly' conserves energy and replaces the use of polluting energy resources with clean ones . The main non-electric ways we use geothermal energy are DIRECT USES and GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS. DIRECT USES Geothermal waters ranging from 50 degrees F to over 300 degrees F, are used directly from the earth: • 'to soothe aching muscles in hot springs, and health spas (balneology ); • to help grow flowers, vegetables, and other crops in greenhouses while snow-drifts pile up outside (agriculture ); • to shorten the time needed for growing fish, shrimp, abalone and alligators to maturity (aquaculture ); • to pasteurize milk, to dry onions and lumber and to wash wool (industrial uses ); • Space heating of individual buildings and of entire districts, is - besides hot spring bathing - the most commo ... more

Geothermal water is used around the world, even when it is not hot enough to generate electricity. Anytime geothermal water or heat are used directly, less electricity is used. Using geothermal water 'directly' conserves energy and replaces the use of polluting energy resources with clean ones. The main non-electric ways we use geothermal energy are DIRECT USES and GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS. --------------------------- Well, zozer-ga, I hope the material here answers your very interesting question. I've certainly thrown a lot of numbers and calculations at you, and presented a good deal of technical information without really knowing whether it's too much of an oversimplification for your needs. As I said earlier, if anything here is unclear, or needs elaboration, just post a Request for Clarification to let me know. I'll be happy to provide more details for anything on this topic that is of interest to you. ... more

" Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years in some countries for cooking and heating. . The name geothermal comes from two Greek words: geo means Earth and thermal means heat . . How it works . Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam. We drill holes down to the hot region, steam comes up, is purified and used to drive turbines, which drive electric generators. . There may be natural groundwater in the hot rocks anyway, or we may need to drill more holes and pump water down to them. . ... more