←back to thread

177 points mooreds | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0.451s | source
Show context
its-kostya ◴[] No.45152894[source]
Today I discovered that geothermal energy is a thing, cool! An immediate question that comes to mind is how much "energy potential" does the earth store and "how is it generated"? I'd imagine something about gravity or magnetic waves that move the iron* core and stuff. Anyone know some resources I can read more about this?
replies(2): >>45152938 #>>45153381 #
1. aDyslecticCrow ◴[] No.45153381[source]
Alot of the heat comes from radioactive decay. Heavy radioactive elements under alot of pressure and heat. There's also friction from our moon (earth seems to have a more active core than many other planets) and simply being very well isolated. (Rock is a terrible heat conductor)

Also... Iceland. They're massive in aluminium production for a reason. They have basically infinate abundant energy boiling out from the ground. Here in sweden its used by alot of homes for heating; getting a well producing 60c water is pretty cheap. (A single home may have their own well)

The issue is using it for power really only becomes viable when you reach superheated steam temperatures. And at those depths; drills melt, so its use outside of volcanic regions has been real slow.

replies(1): >>45155215 #
2. 0xDEAFBEAD ◴[] No.45155215[source]
>earth seems to have a more active core than many other planets

Fun fact: Plate tectonics has been proposed as an explanation for why complex life is here and not elsewhere.