Geothermal energy is energy generated from the heat stored in the earth. This energy resource is a renewable resource, which is a natural resource naturally replenished such as sunlight, rain or wind.

Geothermal energy is most commonly used through Binary Cycle power plants. Pumps are used to pump hot water from a geothermal well in the earth to a heat exchanger, which cools the water and returns it to a reservoir.

Being geothermal power is naturally occurring, it produces essentially no GHG (Green House Gases) emissions. This energy resource is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week unlike wind, water and solar resources. This is a resource for energy available indefinitely, unlike the use of fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

Geothermal energy is used around the globe throughout several countries, but it is widely used in the Philippines (the largest consumer of geothermal energy) and Iceland. Eighty-seven percent of the homes in Iceland are heated with geothermal energy provided by power plants such as Nesjavellir. Geothermal plants are also within the United States.

Three examples include Mammoth Lakes, CA, Steamboat Springs, NA, Hilo, HA. The Geysers, which is a geothermal field in California has been in use since 1960. The West Ford Flat Power Plant is one of 21 plants which provide geothermal electricity to Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Marin and Napa counties.

Though this energy resource is available other resources are in running consideration for more popular and wide spread use in the future. Through further exploration and use of this natural resource we may one day use such an energy source to power our homes and communities in a healthy and efficient manner through the use of geothermal energy.