The investments will go towards three institutions: AltaRock Energy, Potter Drilling, and the Southern Methodist University Geothermal Lab.

The funding will also go towards geothermal resource mapping, information tools, and a geothermal energy policy agenda according to CleanTechnica

A report by MIT says that geothermal energy can provide more than 2,500 the annual energy use of the United States. As the technology advances, it will be interesting to see how an infrastructure is set up to use the energy for our everyday needs.

Geothermal took a big move forward this past week as Google announced it was investing $10.25 million dollars in an energy technology called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS).

And it looks like Google made a wise investment choice. According to an MIT report on EGS, only 2% of the heat beneath the continental US between 3 and 10 kilometers (depths we can reach with current technology) is more than 2,500 the annual energy use of the United States.

The funding will also go towards geothermal resource mapping, information tools, and a geothermal energy policy agenda according to CleanTechnica

The investments will go towards three institutions: AltaRock Energy, Potter Drilling, and the Southern Methodist University Geothermal Lab.

As the technology advances still, there will be more investment and research in bringing affordable geothermal energy to our homes and businesses.

Geothermal energy is a continuous source of energy since the heat is trapped inside the earth, without depleting. This places geothermal energy above sporadic wind and solar energy, which tends to have a capacity factor of only 20-35%; geothermal capacity is more than 70%.

Although global energy use from geothermal sources today only amounts to less than 1%, geothermal projects now exist in around 20 countries around the world.

Advantages of geothermal energy:

5. You can have one in your backyard
4. Maintenance costs are low
3. The amount of land needed is low
2. Energy output is unaffected by changing weather conditions
1. It’s renewable

Disadvantages of geothermal energy:

1. Produces greenhouse gases during production and maintenance
2. They could affect their surrounding environment
3. If a system is too large for its site, the energy could dry up

Technology of geothermal energy

To understand and learn more about geothermal energy, visit the Geothermal Energy Association

Nanotechnology refers broadly to a field of applied science and technology whose unifying theme is the control of matter on the molecular level in scales smaller than one micrometer, normally 1 to 100 nanometers, and the fabrication of devices within that size range. For scale, a single virus particle is about 100 nanometers in width.

Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.”

At this size dimension, the physical, chemical, and biological properties of materials differ in fundamental and valuable ways from the properties of individual atoms, molecules, or bulk matter. The properties displayed at the nanoscale create a host of potential innovative uses for nanomaterials. One of these uses includes the creation of exciting and revolutionary energy applications. These potential nanoscale energy applications apply to a host of different sources of energy, including hydrogen, geothermal, unconventional natural gas, fission, and solar energy.

While hydrogen is an energy storage medium, it is not a primary energy source. Therefore, full realization of hydrogen as an alternative energy source is frustrated by gaps in technology, which do not precipitate the efficient and cost-effective storage and transport of hydrogen. Nanoscience provides new approaches to basic questions about the interaction of hydrogen with materials to enable the efficient and cost-effective storage and transport of hydrogen.

Applying nanotechnology to geothermal energy increases the opportunities to develop geothermal resources by enhancing thermal conductivity or aiding in the development of noncorrosive materials that could be used for geothermal energy production.

The recovery of unconventional sources of natural gas is yet another potential application of nanotechnology. Unconventional sources of natural gas include tight sandstones, shale gas, and coal bed methane. Nanotechnology applications may prove useful in accessing or exploiting these unconventional natural gas sources. For instance, nanocatalysts and nanoscale membranes may prove useful in assisting in Gas to Liquids production. Furthermore, certain nanostructured materials may assist in compressed natural gas transport.

Nanotechnology may also prove useful in solving the waste problems of the nuclear energy industry. For instance, certain nano-engineered barriers may prove useful in preventing the migration of or containing nuclear waste products.

Nanotechnology applications may assist in making solar energy more economical. Nanoscience can be utilized to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, creating cost-efficient conversion systems, effective solar power storage systems or even the generation of solar energy on a larger scale. For instance, “nanopatterning” can artificially change the optical properties of materials to allow light to be trapped in solar cells.

Nanotechnology might someday allow for more powerful, more efficient and less expensive energy generation, storage transmission and distribution. Nanotechnology is being used to optimize production from existing energy sources and to exploit new sources such as geothermal, liquefied natural gas, nuclear and solar energy. Nanotechnology is also improving and opening new possibilities for the transmission and storage of energy, especially electricity and possibly hydrogen in the future. Nanotechnologies have the potential to reduce energy consumption by making it possible to manufacture lighter and/or more energy efficient cards and appliances. Even though nanotechnology is a relatively young field, the potential for future nanotechnology applications within the energy industry could turn out to be one of the most important technological developments of our time.

About the Publisher: This report is published by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank and leading source for energy industry information and research products.

The three energy sources I will focus on have been around for years, and as time passes their respective technology and efficiency increases. These three energy sources are Solar Panels, Wind Turbines, and Geothermal Power.

Solar Panels

Solar energy was first being utilized, more than 100 years ago, since the middle of the industrial revolution. Early solar power plants were built to produce steam to power the machines of factories. Around that time, Henri Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic is the production of electricity straight from the sun.

Solar (or photovoltaic) cells generate about 10 watts per square foot and are mounted on your rooftop. The maximum amount of solar electricity that can be efficiently generated is determined by the amount of southerly roof exposure available that remains completely unshaded most of the day. It is best to continue to be hooked up to the utility grid for two reasons. 1. They are required to purchase any extra electricity that is produced from your solar panels. 2. The days that are cloudy you may need to use their electricity.

People decide to purchase solar electric systems for different reasons. Some want to stop the use of fossil-fuel resources and reduce air pollution. Others would rather spend their money on energy-producing improvement to their property. Some people just want to reduce the amount of electricity they purchase from the utility companies. There are people who just don’t like paying high prices of their utility bills. No matter what the reason, solar energy is a sensible choice with a great return on your investment.

Wind Turbines

The use of wind turbines can be a great way to provide a source of clean and renewable energy for your home or business. There are several different wind energy devices available on the market today which can be used to generate power. Most are cost effective and provide a substantial level of electricity for your home or business.

The terms wind energy or wind power describes the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks, but is most commonly used to convert mechanical power into electricity. Simply stated, a wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, which is what a fan does, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. Single small turbines, below 100 kilowatts, are used for homes, telecommunications dishes, or water pumping. Small turbines are sometimes used in connection with diesel generators, batteries, and photovoltaic systems. These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote, off-grid locations, where a connection to the utility grid is not available. The initial investment of these technologies can be quite high, but they can be capable of paying for themselves within a matter of years.

Geothermal Power

“Geo” means “from the earth,” and “thermal” pertains to “heat or temperature”, so this type of energy is found under the earth. Here is how it works: about four feet underground, the temperature of the earth stays the same all year long – about 55 degrees. The system pumps a liquid through the pipes to absorb the heat and brings it back indoors. A device called a “heat exchanger” takes the heat from the liquid and uses it to heat or in some cases cool, the air inside the home.

A geothermal heating system uses pipes buried more than four feet deep in the earth. By burying some water pipes and then running the fluid through a heat exchanger, you can produce ambient air that warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer. It’s a little more complicated than that, because humans like it around 70° in the winter, a compressor is needed to bring the temperature of the air up a bit. But the net energy and cost savings are still considerable.

We can also use geothermal energy to make electricity. A geothermal power plant works by tapping into steam or hot water reservoirs underground; the heat is used to drive an electrical generator. Most geothermal plants are located in the western United States, where hot water reservoirs are common. The Geysers power plant in northern California is the world’s largest geothermal power plant, producing enough electricity to light up more than 22,000 homes.

If we can put our money into these three Alternative energy sources we can cut our ties from fossil fuels, specifically (OIL), the source of escalating global conflict, and become a more self-sufficient country. No matter what the state of your pocketbook, there are options available that allow each one of us to make the changes to renewable energy resources. At our website, EcoloChi.net we focus on ways to become more earth friendly, with a growing list of “green” products and information.

Roland Kemler

EcoloChi is my way to help people save our planet at http://www.ecolochi.net