Using Recycled Sewage Water to Generate Geothermal Power in California
Posted on October 5, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy, Energy Efficiency | 2 Comments
Active geothermal energy can either be used as heat that comes directly from the super heated cavity, Or, as is far more common, the cavity is filled with freshwater and the steam that is generated, is then used to turn a turbine for electric power. The latter is the form of energy, that is utilized at each of the 22 separate plants that run in The Geysers, from as many as 350 wells. While many of the cavities start out with superheated water under pressure, that is then replenished with groundwater, another option is to add water.
This is where The Geysers gets creative. Instead of diverting valuable water to simply be turned into steam, they use the otherwise unusable sewage water. As soon as it comes into contact with the super heated rocks, any bacteria that might be lingering around are instantly roasted. This highly sustainable practice allows the shaft cavities to be filled up with water again while getting rid of effluent.
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