What Are the Advantages of Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy has many advantages, especially when compared to conventional

sources of energy:

1. Geothermal Energy Sourcing Is Good for the

Environment
First and foremost, geothermal energy is extracted from the earth without burning fossil
fuels, and geothermal fields produce practically no emissions. What’s more,
geothermal energy can be very beneficial, as you can achieve savings of up to
80% over conventional energy usage.

2. Geothermal Is a Reliable Source of Renewable Energy

Geothermal energy also has many advantages when compared to other renewable
sources like solar, wind or biomass. It is an exceptionally constant source of energy,
meaning that it is not dependent on neither wind nor sun, and available all year long.
When looking at the availability factor, which shows how reliable and constant specific
energy sources are, geothermal is ranking on the top (see the figure below), way
above the other groups, which supports the argument of its independence on
inconstant external circumstances when delivering energy.

3. High Efficiency of Geothermal Systems

Geothermal heat pump systems use 25% to 50% less electricity than conventional
systems for heating or cooling, and with their flexible design they can be adjusted to
different situations, requiring less space for hardware as opposed to conventional
systems.

4. Little to No Geothermal System Maintenance

Due to the fact that geothermal systems only have few movable parts which are
sheltered inside a building, the life span of geothermal heat pump systems is
relatively high. Heat pump pipes even have warranties of between 25 and 50 years,
while the pump can usually last for at least 20 years.

What are the Disadvantages of Geothermal

Energy?
However, there are always two sides of the coin so let’s have a look at the cons of
geothermal energy:
1. Environmental Concerns about Greenhouse Emissions
Unfortunately, no matter its reputation of being an environmentally friendly alternative
energy source, geothermal energy also causes some minor concerns in regards to the
environment.
The extraction of geothermal energy from the grounds leads to a release of
greenhouse gases like hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia.
However, the amount of gas released is significantly lower than in the case of fossil
fuels.

2. Possibility of Depletion of Geothermal Sources

Furthermore, despite being considered a sustainable and renewable energy, the
chances are that specific locations might cool down after time, making it impossible to
harvest more geothermal energy in future.
The only non-depletable option is sourcing geothermal energy right from magma but
the technology for doing so is still in the process of development. This option is worth
the investment mainly thanks to the fact that magma will be around for billions of
years.

3. High Investment Costs for Geothermal System

Another disadvantage is the high initial cost for individual households. The need for
drilling and installing quite a complex system into one’s home makes the price climb
quite high. Nevertheless, the return on such investment is very promising, being able to
earn the investment back within 2 to 10 years.

4. Land Requirements for Geothermal System to Be

Installed
In case of geothermal systems, having a piece of land next to the house is required in
order to be able to install one. That makes geothermal systems hard to be implemented
for homeowners in big cities, unless a vertical ground source heat pump is used.