E+Block+-+Geothermal

New Mexico uses geothermal energy in multiple ways. The most common way for this energy to be harnessed are the Hot Springs located in Dona Ana County, Grant County, Rio Arriba County, Sandoval County and Sierra County. The other ways New Mexico uses Geothermal energy are by using aquaculture at NMSU/SWTDI and at AmeriCulture Tilapia Farm, a sixteen acre greenhouse at the Masson Radium Springs Farm, District heating at the Gila Hot Springs, a thirty acre greenhouse at the Burgett Geothermal Greenhouse, and space heating at the Geronimo Springs Museum, in Truth or Consequences. The total Annual energy savings from an article by New Mexico Tech is estimated to be at nearly $3,057,000. The energy production in the United States is highly dependent on Fossil Fuels. Only .41% of the nation's energy is produced from geothermal energy, and the consumption of energy produced by coal is nearly 42%. Currently, the United States is the leading producer of geothermal energy in the world. The estimated production of energy that is produced from geothermal plants in the United States is 3,187 MW (Geothermal Energy Association 2012). Advantages of Geothermal Energy: I. Cheap: The capture of Geothermal energy is very cheap and since the process does not really on on fossil fuels it cost close to nothing.!
 * Background:**
 * Geothermal energy dates back as far as ten thousand years ago, when Paleo-Indians used hot springs for multiple uses, which include settlements that were heated from these springs, as well as the heat was a good source of energy for cooking.
 * The first recorded commercial use of geothermal energy was when American settlers were exploring westward and founded the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here twenty-three years later, Asa Thompson made a profit from having people pay him to use the hot springs baths in the city. Near La Grande, Oregon in 1864, the Hot Lake Hotel was built, which was the first time that geothermal energy produced by hot springs was used on such a large scale.
 * The world's first district that was heated by hot springs water was Boise, Idaho. This intricate system ran hot spring water through pipes in town buildings, which then covered two hundred homes and forty downtown businesses within a span of a few years.
 * The first Geothermal Power Plant was created in Lardarello, Italy in 1904, while the first Geothermal Plant in the United States was at The Geyser in 1921. The man who accomplished this was John D. Grant, who drilled two wells and started producing 250 kilowatts within a couple of years.
 * In Boise, Idaho in 1930, the first greenhouse for commercial use was developed. This greenhouse used a 1000 foot well, which was created in 1926. During this same year, Charlie Lieb established the first DHE (Downhole Heat Exchanger)to heat his own home.
 * In the 1960's, Pacific Gas and Electric operates the first electricity-generating geothermal plant for large scale use, which is located at The Geysers.
 * In 1972, the Geothermal Energy Association is founded.
 * In 1974, the Geothermal Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act is put into place by the United States government, which gives investment security to companies developing technologies that would use geothermal resources.
 * 1975, the first national geothermal inventory and estimate report is released by the U.S. Geological Survey. Two years later, the U.S. Department of Energy is formed.
 * In 1978, hot dry rock is used as a geothermal resource, and a facility is built in Fenton Hill, New Mexico to test the usability of this energy. This facility starts to generate electricity in 1980.
 * Binary Technology is developed and demonstrated in the Imperial Valley of California by a company called Ormat. The major significance of this was that the company tested the idea of using large scale commercial binary power plants. This test proves successful in 1981.
 * In 1989, the first Rankine and gas engine geopressure-geothermal power plant began producing energy in Pleasant Bayou, Texas.
 * Starting in 1994, the Department of Energy attempts to promote larger scale use of geothermal energy to lower the greenhouse emissions being produced. The ways that they do this are by creating plans to use geothermal resources for electric power generation, as well as to use geothermal heat pumps.
 * In the early 2000's, The DoE decided to create a program titled "Geopowering the west," which is to find and remove major barriers in the western part of the country. This then lead to the program leading geothermal development to operate in five states which include Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.
 * Current Day New Mexico:**
 * Geothermal Energy in the United States:**

II. Minimal Carbon Emission (Fewer Fossil Fuels): If Geothermal energy to be harnessed we would require less on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels release tons of harmful chemicals when energized, results in what is called "global warming". Since the capturing of geothermal energy uses only water, steam, and turbines, geothermal energy emits almost no harmful substances.

III. Non-Detramental for the Environment: Since geothermal energy releases no negative materials, it becomes an option for renewable energy.

IV. History of Successful Usage: People have been using the system of Geothermal energy to heat up their homes since the ancients. They used it to take baths, cook their food, and today are being used to directly heat up homes and offices. Even though the initial investment can be quite high, in the long run there will be a huge cost saving. Is makes Geothermal energy really cheap and affordable.!

V. Boosts the Economy: Geothermal energy has been invested on by many governments from many different countries. It takes a fair wok force to operate geothermal energy and therefore will create an influx of new jobs, something all economies could use.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy:

I. Not a Common Source of Energy: Geothermal energy sources are not readily accessible everywhere. Also, there are things required to harvest geothermal energy that are not in common use and therefore relatively expensive

II. High Installation Costs: You have to instal a fair amoount of machinery in order to harness geothermal energy. To get steam from deep inside the ground requires that you drill into the ground with high-end materials and trained workers. Finally you have to connect the geothermal energy factory up to whatever grid it is assigned to.

III. Specific Locations: Geothermal energy plants require geysers or spring, any time of vent into the lower crust. Finding, setting up, and harness these locations requires a large investment of money that will increase the initial cost of the Geothermal plant.

IV. May Release Harmful Gases: Some of these vents have pockets of potentially harmful gasses. Those gases are released by the holes made by constructors drilling into the earths crust. These gasses are a potentially negative side effect of geothermal energy,


 * Work Cited:**
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 * Geothermal Technologies Program: A History of Geothermal Energy in the United States. (n.d.). //U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Home Page //. Retrieved December 14, 2012, from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/
 * Geothermal Plants. (n.d.). //Geothermal Energy Association //. Retrieved December 14, 2012, from http://www.geo-energy.org/plants.aspx