One of the biggest problems facing humanity as we enter the twenty-first century is the energy problem. As it stands, humanity is consuming fossil fuels and other resources at an alarming rate. This leads not only to the destruction of the environment by pollutants, but also to a deficit of these precious resources. Environmentalists and others have tried to solve this problem in many ways, including; solar energy, windmills and watermills. But why shouldn't we just use the vast amount of energy available beneath our feet? Geothermal energy should be explored further because; Our current energy system is rapidly failing, geothermal energy is an efficient form of energy and is not as taxing on the environment as other methods of obtaining energy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Before we start investing in geothermal energy, we must first understand what it is and how it works. Simply put, geothermal energy uses heat captured in the earth to meet our needs. This heat was generated when the earth formed from the radioactive decay of minerals and solar energy absorbed by the earth's surface. (BBC) It has been contained beneath the Earth's crust ever since. Geothermal heating is available wherever continental crust is present, but greater amounts of energy are available in areas near tectonic plate boundaries where volcanic activity is common. (BBC) Such areas include the western United States, the east coast of Japan and much of Iceland. The simplest and most common way to harness geothermal energy is to use a heat pump. Heat pumps are used to transfer heat both to and from the desired area (building) to the ground. Heat pumps are a kind of device that transfers energy from the “source” to the “sink”. (UCS) The source is always at a cooler temperature than the sink. Heat pumps vary by type, but most work through a fairly simple process. First of all, all heat pumps must have an internal unit (evaporator coil) and an external unit (condenser). In the normal system, the pump uses a substance called refrigerant to transport heat from one area to another (from outside to inside or vice versa). One of the biggest benefits of using geothermal heat pumps is that you can choose one that specifically suits your needs. The first type of geothermal heating pump is the closed loop horizontal system. This type of system is usually used for residential homes where there is a lot of space available. (UDE) It is also convenient for horizontal systems to be made in a residential preconstruction, since the installation is very tedious. In this system two pipes four and six feet deep are installed in a sinuous manner. (UDE) This allows you to install longer pipes without taking up much space, making it perfect for smaller residential buildings. The second type of geothermal heat pump is the vertical closed loop system. These are usually used in large commercial buildings where there is not much land available for horizontal pipes. (UDE) Vertical system heat pumps are often used for schools and community buildings. The system is essentially the same as the horizontal system, except that the pipes are deeper and take up less underground space horizontally. “This is the most common type of geothermal heat pump system used worldwide.”(UDE) The third type of geothermal heat pump is the closed-loop pond/lake system. This is the cheapest type of geothermal heating pump because the water provides easily harvested energy. (UDE) However, your property must meet some rather specific conditions in order to use this system. To use this system, the property you wish to heat must be within twenty-five meters of a significant body of water such as a pond or lake. (UDE) It is also important to ensure that the water source is not contaminated with toxins that can corrode pipe systems. If you meet these requirements, pipes are run underground from the property to the water source and placed at least eight feet underwater. (UDE) This is to prevent the pipes from freezing. Although this geothermal heat system needs fairly specific conditions to thrive, its general affordability makes it one of the most popular geothermal heat systems. While many people use one of the above systems, many are now starting to use a hybrid system that uses a geothermal heat system along with other forms of heating/cooling. “This idea of ​​mixing and matching has become increasingly popular in areas where the cooling needs far exceed the heating needs of a residence.” (UDE) This system allows a residence to use geothermal energy to heat their home and another form of energy to cool their home. This works in favor of geothermal energy as heating rather than cooling. One reason why we should invest further in geothermal energy is the rapidly failing nature of our current energy system. The basic element of our current energy system is the use of fossil fuels. This leads to many not only environmental, but also practical problems. The most pressing problem associated with the use of fossil fuels is the enormous impact it has on our environment. One such effect is the release of greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels. As industry increases around the world, so do these companies that burn fossil fuels. (BBC) This has led to the depletion of the ozone layer commonly referred to as “global warming”. Rising temperatures caused by greenhouse gases have had a dramatic effect on many environments around the world. Global warming may not seem like a big deal, but it has far-reaching consequences around the world. An example of this is that rising temperatures in the north have given the green light for disease-carrying insects to migrate north bringing their diseases with them. “More than 64,000 cases of malaria have been reported in Peru this year, nearly half in the Amazon region of the country, as the disease is carried further north by mosquitoes.” (UCS) Another example of the impact of global warming is that as the temperature in the oceans warms, it could lead to an increase in hurricanes that are more present in warmer waters. The next example of the impact of global warming is the increased risk of prolonged droughts in warmer climates. . For example, “Morocco has experienced more drought in the last ten years than in any previous decade.” (UCS) This shows how global warming has directly led to increased drought in this African country. Yet another example of the possible effects of global warming is the increased risk of wildfires. These fires have become increasingly common as the earth's temperature rises. For example, “in 2007, more than 3,000 fires brought destruction to southeastern Europe thanks to a long summer that createdarid and dry – a situation that would become normal as a result of the greenhouse effect.” (UCS) These are some of the lesser-known effects of greenhouse gases released from burning fossil fuels. The most important impact of global warming is the melting of the polar ice caps. The continued melting of the polar ice caps will lead to four separate issues that will require our attention. First, the melting has led to sea level rise at a drastic rate of 2 mm per year. “Eventually, if all the polar ice caps melted, ocean levels could rise by up to 230 feet.” (BBC) This could lead to large amounts of erosion on coasts around the world. The second problem caused by the melting of the polar ice caps is that their mixing with ocean waters will make them less salty. The third problem associated with melting polar ice caps is that higher temperatures will lead to changing landscapes and ultimately the extinction of several animal species. (BBC) All animals that currently live in the Arctic Circle, where most of the polar ice caps are located, would have to adapt quickly to environmental changes to survive. The final problem caused by the melting of the polar ice caps is that, as they begin to disappear, this could lead to even more global warming. This is due to the fact that the “white” polar caps reflect sunlight, significantly lowering the earth's temperature. (BBC) However, if the polar ice caps disappeared, this sunlight would not be reflected, leading to a vast increase in Earth's temperature which will lead to further environmental problems. These are the main problems that will be a direct result of the melting of the polar ice caps due to global warming. Although the environmental effects of burning fossil fuels are more widely known, there are also some practical problems with the current system of acquiring energy. For starters, the massive use of fossil fuels has severely weakened the US economy. This is because the U.S. government imports large quantities of oil and other fossil fuel-related products. This causes an imbalance in the import/export balance of our economy. For example: “In 2004, nearly sixty percent of the petroleum products used in the United States were imported from other countries.” (GEA) This problem will continue to increase as the need for energy increases over time. Another practical problem with using fossil fuels is that they are not a renewable resource. Unlike geothermal energy, fossil fuels take an inordinate amount of time to replenish. “It takes about ten million years for a significant amount of oil, petroleum or coal to develop.” (GEA) Obviously, humanity cannot rely primarily on a resource that has such a long renewal period. To show how long ten million years is, “going so far back from the present day, the British Isles were still in the Southern Hemisphere.” (GEA) This example simply shows the enormous amount of time it takes for fossil fuels to form. These examples demonstrate that fossil fuels cannot be an efficient energy source in a world where a growing population continually requires more and more energy. Therefore, we need to start looking for other, more renewable sources of energy. The next reason why we should invest further in geothermal energy is that geothermal energy is a very efficient energy source. One thing that makes geothermal energy so effective is that it can be harvested almost anywhere. That isit is possible because, despite the temperature of the surrounding area, the ground generally remains at a fairly constant temperature. (GEA) Although ground temperatures vary slightly with latitude, the temperature at which geothermal energy can no longer be harvested is well below any temperature ever recorded in the United States. This allows geothermal energy to be harvested virtually anywhere. Another reason why geothermal energy is so effective is that it can be used not only in winter, but also in summer. This is because pumps can not only add heat from the ground to your home during the colder months, but they can also remove heat from your home during the warmer months using the same process. (GEA) The second reason geothermal energy is so effective is that it can get most of the heat it produces directly from ground heat. According to recent studies, approximately seventy percent of the energy produced by geothermal heat pumps is renewable energy obtained from the ground. (GEA) Another reason why geothermal energy is more efficient than most forms of energy is that it tends to be less noisy than other methods such as electric heating. 4 out of 5 people who have used geothermal heat pumps say that they are much quieter than their previous heating system. (GEA) These are just a few examples that show how efficient geothermal heating really is as an energy source. The third reason why geothermal energy is so efficient is that it can be used for a variety of things. Geothermal energy can be used in four basic ways. Geothermal energy is mainly used directly. “In areas where hot springs or geothermal reservoirs are close to the earth's surface, hot water can be piped directly to heat homes or offices.” (HSW) After the heat is extracted from the water, the water is sent back to the Earth through another pipe. While this is the most widely used form of geothermal energy, it is not the only one. Another way geothermal energy can be used is in the form of geothermal heat pumps. These pumps collect the heat naturally present in the ground and transfer it to the home. “The fluid circulates through a series of tubes (called loops) underground or under the water of a pond or lake and inside a building. An electric compressor and heat exchanger extract heat from the pipes and send it through a duct system throughout the building.” (HSW) An interesting element of this form of geothermal energy is that it can not only be used for heating in the summer, but also for cooling in the summer. This makes it a very interesting form of geothermal energy. The next form of geothermal energy is that used for dry steam systems. “The hot steam is piped directly from the geothermal reservoirs to the power plant generators.” (HSW) This is the most “corporeal” form of geothermal energy currently in use. As our dependence on fossil fuels causes more and more problems, you can expect an increase in the use of this form of geothermal energy. The final way geothermal energy is harnessed is through the use of a binary cycle system. These systems are commonly used in the production of electricity. “Moderately hot geothermal water is passed through a heat exchanger, where its heat is transferred to a liquid (such as isobutene) that boils at a lower temperature than water. When the fluid is heated it turns into steam, which turns the turbines." (HSW) This has become a common practice as energy..