Coal energy is created when fossil fuel is burned to create heat and steam, both of which are used to turn turbine generators into electrical generators.
Coal energy, together with the steam engine, contributed to and supported the Industrial Revolution.
Panelists speaking about the topic at PIVOT2022, an online geothermal conference, a recent week-long geothermal conference, were enthusiastic about that potential, citing the number of technological solutions that are coming online and the growing interest in the heat beneath our feet.
As the world moves away from fossil fuels in the fight against climate change, they were speaking about exactly that.
Experts high hopes for clean geothermal energy
(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)
The Senior Vice President at the international energy research and consulting company is Neeraj Nandurdikar.
He explained the potential opportunity at the start of the meeting, mentioning that there are approximately 4,200 coal plants in the world, about 1,000 of which appear to be shut down.
The majority are in China, where 84 plants are currently being developed, as per Think Geo Energy.
The US follows with about 750 plants, 200 of which are active.
The final three countries in the top five with the most coal plants are Germany, India, and Indonesia.
According to him, many US plants are inactive or closed due to a lack of economic motivation.
According to Kevin Bonebrake, CFO for Quaise Energy, coal plant conversions and new geothermal operational processes could also make use of the oil and gas industry's existing workforce and completely refocus it on this goal.
Bonebrake pointed out that Carlos Araque, co-founder and CEO of Quaise, and a large percentage of the company's staff have experience in the oil and gas industry.
According to Ken Wisian, a geothermal geophysicist and Bureau of Economic Geology assistant director, the hotter the region, the better it is for converting coal to geothermal energy.
That entails putting a priority on coal plants that are near to the superhot rock which is found in regions such as the Western US, Iceland, and around volcanoes and is situated relatively close to the Earth's surface.
Wisian praised the numerous advancements in geothermal technology that were discussed at the conference, but he emphasized that geology must be considered.
Also Read: Worldwide Usage Of Coal-Fired Electricity Set To Drop This Year
Benefits of coal energy and its downside
When compared to other renewable and non-renewable energy sources, coal energy has advantages.
A coal-burning power plant can be built with less capital outlay and is plentiful and reasonably priced, as per Encyclopedia.
The world's coal reserves, which can be found in more than 70 nations, are thought to be close to 1 trillion tons.
Oil and gas are not expected to outlive the reserves. Long-term stable prices result from this.
Construction costs for coal-powered energy facilities are lower, and they can run continuously for seven days a week. Coal plants can produce energy continuously because they are not reliant on the sun or the wind.
As a result, coal energy is going to appeal less in developed countries as a method of generating plentiful, affordable energy for their expanding economies.
The usage of coal as a source of energy has significantly increased due to all these factors.
Although coal has enormous potential as a source of energy, it does have a number of disadvantages.
The main drawback of coal is the harm it causes to the environment.
Energy plants that burn coal are a major source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Related Article: Geothermal 'Freak Zone' Found Below Greenland Following Heat Flow Mapping
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