How Do Geothermal Power Plants Work?.
Geothermal Energy The upper layer of Earth is called the crust. It is only a few miles thick, and floats on a giant pool of liquid rock called the mantle. Over years, water can seep down deep below the surface of the earth. When this water comes into contact with magma welling up from the mantle, it heats to extremely high temperatures. Geothermal power plants use this hot water to produce electricity. Geothermal Plants Geothermal power plants use steam to drive a turbine, which turns a generator to produce electricity. The turbine is like a large propeller. When the steam flows through it, it creates lift along the edge of the blades, spinning the turbine. The turbine is attached to an electric generator, which is basically a spinning magnet surrounded by coils of wire. When the magnet spins, its magnetic field moves through the wire. This creates a moving electric current in the wire called alternating current, or AC. That electric current is then sent out to power homes, businesses
