An Introduction To Geothermal Energy

Abstract

Geothermal energy is one of the most important renewable sources, generally recognized as an environmentally friendly resource. The general distribution of geothermal systems is controlled by the different types of fault systems, active volcanism, and hydrothermally altered areas. These diverse resources occur in different parts of the Earth and different geologic settings. In addition, geothermal resources may have different physical and chemical properties depending on temperature and depth variations, geology, geochemistry, and hydrogeological characteristics. These resources are used for direct (heating, cooling, greenhouse, thermal bath, and others) and indirect (electricity generation) applications. Today, geothermal heat base applications continue to develop in an integrated manner with the processes of combating global warming and adaptation to climate change. This chapter provides information on the source of geothermal energy, the current status of the geothermal energy sector, the importance of geothermal energy, the history of geothermal energy applications, and the classification of geothermal systems. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.