Geothermal Energy
The word geothermal literally means the heat of the
earth. Typically, a geothermal reservoir forms when underground water
is heated by hot rocks, themselves heated by magma, deep in the earth's
crust. The hot water and steam are more often than not trapped in
porous rock under layers of impermeable rock. These are conventional
hydrothermal resources, the only ones used commercially at the present
time. They are found at depths ranging from 300 to 10,000 ft, and
yield water temperatures between 194 to 662 degrees Fahrenheit. Some,
the best of the best, provide dry steam with little or no water.
Geothermal energy has quietly been growing amongst other renewable
energy sources because of a few key characteristics which make it
increasingly attractive and commercially viable. The geothermal capacity
factor (which measures what fraction of the capacity can actually
be generated over a year) is |
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very high compared to other renewable energy sources, which utilities love.
Although it only represents 2.2% of the 2008 Geothermal energy has quietly
been growing amongst other renewable energy sources because of a few key
characteristics which make it increasingly attractive and commercially viable.
The geothermal capacity factor (which measures what fraction of the capacity
can actually be generated over a year) is very high compared to other renewable
energy sources, which utilities love. Although it only represents 2.2% of
the 2008 renewable electric capacity, geothermal accounted for nearly 5%
of the electricity generation.
The Green Investor is on record for forecasting a decade of unprecedented growth for the geothermal industry, and outstanding long-term gains for investors in select geothermal stocks. To boot, this is a clean energy resource we have plenty of right here at home and one in which the U.S. has a leadership position with about 30% of worldwide capacity, which we intend to leverage fully.
Suggested reading:
List of publicly traded geothermal energy companies
and stocks
(note that the tickers are links to Yahoo!Finance
quotes)
Geothermal
stock ticker symbol |
Geothermal
company names |
Geothermal
company website addresses |
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Calpine Corp. |
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GTO Resources Inc. |
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LSB Industries Inc. |
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Magma Energy Corp. |
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Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. |
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Ormat Technologies Inc. |
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Polaris Geothermal Inc. |
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Raser Technologies Inc. |
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Sierra Geothermal Power Corp. |
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U.S. Geothermal Inc. |
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WaterFurnace Renewable Energy, Inc. |
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Western GeoPower Corp. |
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| Note that this list of geothermal energy
companies is not exhaustive, is not a list of stocks in The
Green Investor Portfolio or
represent a buy recommendation. |
Geothermal energy information resources
Geothermal
organizations |
Geothermal
organization website addresses |
Geothermal energy association |
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Geothermal heat pump consortium |
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