There are three main power plant technologies used today in geothermal power plants. These technologies are used to convert hydrothermal fluids to electricity. Each type depends on the state of the fluid and its temperature.

Dry steam power plants were the first geothermal power plants of their kind. They traditionally use steam to produce electricity. This is done by taking steam from the geothermal reservoir and routing it through turbine units. The most common types of these plants are flash steam plants where water is pumped at high pressures at the surface.

Binary cycle geothermal power generation plants are different from dry steam plants and flash steam plants. Throughout a binary cycle geothermal power operation the water or steam never touches the turbine units. Most contain moderate-temperate water. The fluid and a secondary “binary” fluid with a lower boiling temperature pass through a heat exchanger.

Throughout the process the heat from the first fluid causes the binary fluid to flash to vapor, and the turbines are then driven. This system is ideal because it’s a closed-loop operation. This means nothing is emitted into the air, which makes it greener than other options overall. In addition, the lower temperature water is more common as a geothermal resource.

The benefits associated with geothermal power plants are abundant. In the world’s mission to become more environmentally efficient and “greener”, these power plants are becoming more and more popular.