Why Geothermal Energy Production is Tepid—at Least Until Fracking Comes Along (Quartz)
Geothermal energy has long been a great green hope for weaning the world from fossil fuels and promoting energy independence. Unlike solar and wind farms, geothermal energy plants generate electricity continuously, providing a dependable, nearly carbon-free source of power.
Yet a report (PDF) out last week from the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association, an industry trade group, found that geothermal capacity in the US grew by just 5%, or 147 MWe, in 2012. Total geothermal capacity now stands at 3,386 MWe. In contrast, the US added 13,200 MWe of wind energy last year for a total 60,000 MWe. And some 3,200 MWe of new solar energy was expected to go online in 2012.
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