Curt at Alternative Energy~Renewable Energy made a great find in this virtual tour of a CalEnergy geothermal power plant. Several short videos (which require Windows Media Player or QuickTime) illustrate the process the plant uses to extract "superheated fluids" from the earth's core in order to create a heat source for producing electricity. The plant also becomes a model of industrial ecology as zinc is extracted from the water, and processed into bars using power produced within the plant itself.
I must admit that I'm new to the use of geothermal energy on this scale -- I've known about small-scale use of the earth's heat for powering individual homes and businesses for some time, but didn't realize large-scale plants were being built and/or used. If anyone has more information, pass it along...
Categories: renewable, energy, geothermal, video
