A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND ITS RELIABILITY IMPLICATIONS

摘要

This paper was developed as part of a study (The Impact of "Green" Technology on System Reliability) funded by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) and performed by the Reliability Information Analysis Center (RIAC). This study, published in June 2012, discusses the various reliability implications associated with alternative energy systems based upon wind, solar, and geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is defined as heat from the Earth. It is the thermal energy that is contained within the rock or in fluid that fills the spaces in the earth's crust or the pores in the rock itself. Geothermal energy is used in the U.S. and around the world in a variety of diverse applications ranging from massive electricity-producing power plants to space heating in a single home.