When they think of renewable energy, most people think of solar and wind. And for good reason. The sun shines and the wind blows virtually everywhere in the world. But geothermal power generation requires fissures in the earth’s crust that allow heat from the earth’s mantle to turn groundwater into steam. The steam spins a turbine, producing electricity. So viable sites for geothermal plants are fewer in number.
Another difference between geothermal energy and other forms of renewable energy is that it is more predictable and reliable. Unlike wind or solar power, which are dependent on the weather or the time of day, geothermal power generation is highly consistent and predictable…so predictable that most geothermal plants do not need battery banks to match power generation to demand. Instead, they rely on variable frequency drives to regulate the speed of large power generators and of various subsystems including VFD-driven deep-well line shaft pumps for district heating.
