Is geothermal power really a possible long-term solution? Is there an investment play in it?
– M.G. A: Of all the “green” energy sources out there, I like geothermal the best. It is the only one that can provide uninterrupted power… Solar power has one big flaw – night. Wind power has calm days. And hydroelectric power has drought. Geothermal power taps the natural heat of the Earth, so you need an active or recently deceased volcano. (The western U.S. has a ton of power, just under the surface.) You gather geothermal energy by drilling wells into hot rocks to bring up the natural steam or hot water. That water comes up to a heat exchanger, like your air conditioner. There, the heat from the ground vaporizes a “working fluid” like ammonia, which drives a turbine and generates electricity. In 2007, I visited the Geysers Field in northern California, an active geothermal power plant. It’s awesome: Giant pipes coming up out of the ground, wisps of steam floating on the breeze, and no noise… none whatsoever. Unfortunately, this technology suffers from the same problem all the
