Idaho May Have a Better Alternative Than Wind and Solar Power

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I believe it’s a less intrusive alternative than wind and solar.  A team in Utah is working on a project to make geothermal heat a dominant source for energy generation.  You can get the details by clicking on this link.  Geothermal wells are common in office parks and many years ago I visited a small community college that relied on a similar well for heat.

The test project is an effort to prove geothermal could power entire cities.  Water is pumped well below the surface until it contacts hot rocks and then returns as steam.  The latter returns and then spins turbines and generates a steady stream of electricity.  Nuclear works in a similar fashion.  The fuel gets hot, converts water to steam, and again, generates electricity.  Nuclear works on cloudy days, dark nights, and when the wind doesn’t blow.  The idea is that geothermal would work the same way.

There’s no shortage of hot rocks beneath the surface in this part of the country.  It’s why we have a plethora of hot springs across Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.

The steam rig also doesn’t need the thousands of acres it takes to site wind turbines and solar panels.  Of all the options for alternative energy, it appears geothermal has been overlooked.

Since the planet’s core shows no signs of cooling down, it could be the best definition we’ve heard for renewable energy.  If it works round the clock and is cheaper (especially the latter) then you might count me in.

I realize there are naysayers who only want to focus on oil and natural gas, however.  If we were all to heat and cool our homes with a plentiful alternative, demand for oil would drop and that would lower my price at the gas pump.