Environmental Effects of Geothermal Energy Development: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Most of the undesirable effects of energy usage come from the rejection of heat, waste products, and by-products during the steps of production, transportation, processing, and the conversion of chemical energy to thermal energy. Where geothermal energy can be substituted for coal, oil, or nuclear fuels, it will result in a net reduction of such adverse environmental impacts. Geothermal developments appear to have a major impact when a field such as The Geysers or Wairakei is compared to an electric-power-production facility such as a fossil-fuel or nuclear-power plant. Industrialization, the drilling of wells and the building of pipelines and power plants, constitutes the main impact from geothermal developments. All other impact factors-noise from drilling, possible flashing of steam in separators, release of noncondensable gases, and disposal of spent fluids-can be handled by present technology with minimal investment. Many years of experience at the Larderello field in Italy show that geothermal developments can be compatible with other land uses, as farms, orchards, and vineyards cover much of the productive field with only minimal conflict between th two operations. To give a true picture of the environmental costs from any power source, all steps from the mine to the final product must be added together. The geothermal-steam cycle has fewer steps, fewer energy inputs, and fewer hidden subsidies than any of the coal, oil, or nuclear processes. This simplicity of the geothermal-steam cycle lowers the net-environmental costs and enhances reliability. Because the geothermal-power cycle is self contained, it needs no outside support to maintain the production of electricity; there are no railroads or mines or complex processing facilities to be put out of service by a strike or natural catastrophe or by political decision in a foreign land. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1432------------