How Does Geothermal Power Work?
Geothermal Source Geothermal power originates deep below the crust of the earth in a layer called the mantle. The mantle is made of extremely hot molten rock called magma. Over years, water seeps into the crust of the earth to form underground pools and rivers. In areas where the magma wells up into the crust, it heats the water. This hot water then wells out of the ground, either in the form of steam or just as extremely hot water. The geothermal energy in this heated water can be used directly for heat or harnessed to generate electricity. Geothermal Electric Power Geothermal power plants work like most power plants: by using steam to power a turbine. The turbine basically is a big propeller connected to an electrical generator. The force of the steam blowing through the blades of the turbine causes it to rotate, turning the generator and producing electric power. In dry steam plants, the steam flows out of an underground geothermal reservoir, through the turbine and out of the power
