The 3 Main Environmental Drawbacks of Geothermal Energy: The Big Picture
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Geothermal energy is widely regarded as a beneficial yet underutilized clean energy that can help ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. It can play a vital role in mitigating climate change, yet no energy source comes without drawbacks. So, we had to ask: What are the environmental drawbacks of geothermal energy?
The main environmental drawbacks of geothermal energy are that it has location restrictions, can trigger seismic activity, and can negatively impact humans and wildlife. Overall, geothermal energy is considered to be environmentally friendly energy.
Keep reading to find out all about the environmental benefits of geothermal energy, how safe and dangerous it is, what its pros and cons are, and how geothermal energy can specifically help mitigate climate change.
The Big Picture of the Environmental Drawbacks of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is produced when radioactive materials in the rock and fluid of the earth’s core decay. Drilling down to hot water reservoirs up to a mile below the surface creates steam that rotates a turbine, which spins a generator to generate electricity.
“Geothermal: involving or produced by the heat that is inside the earth”
Cambridge Dictionary
The three main types of geothermal power plant technologies are:
- Dry Steam: Wells are drilled into underground reservoirs of steam. The steam is piped directly from the well to the power plant where it powers turbines and generators.
- Flash Steam: Very hot (360 degrees Fahrenheit, 182 degrees Celsius) water flows up through wells towards the surface under its own pressure. As it reaches the surface, some of the water boils into steam.
- Binary Cycle: Wells are drilled into underground reservoirs of hot water (225-360 degrees Fahrenheit, 107-182 degrees Celsius). The heat from the water is used to boil a working fluid, which is vaporized into steam and then used to power turbines and generators at the power plant.
All three systems take heat from the Earth’s core and convert it to electricity, just by slightly different mechanisms. Flash steam power plants are the main geothermal technology used today, although binary cycle plants and other new technologies are becoming more common.
| How Environmentally Friendly Is Geothermal Energy | Overall, geothermal energy is considered to be environmentally friendly. It generates a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions as fossil fuels, emits minimal amounts of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide emissions, and can have a minimal impact on the land. |
| Drawback #1: Geothermal energy has location restrictions | Geothermal energy has location restrictions and can only be harnessed in areas with volcanic activity or geothermal reservoirs. |
| Drawback #2: Geothermal energy can trigger seismic activity | High-pressure, geothermal fluid injections close to neighboring fault lines have the potential to trigger earthquakes. |
| Drawback #3: Geothermal energy can negatively impact human and animal health | Toxic gasses and dissolved solids discharged from geothermal power plants could adversely impact human and animal health. Clearing the land for construction can also disturb natural habitats and degrade the land. |
What Are the 3 Main Environmental Drawbacks of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy has location restrictions, can trigger seismic activity, and can negatively impact humans and animals if proper siting, construction, and disposal methods are not followed.
Environmental Drawback #1: Geothermal Energy Has Location Restrictions
Geothermal energy has location restrictions and can only be harnessed in areas with volcanic activity or geothermal reservoirs.
Geothermal Energy Drawback #1
Geothermal energy can only be built on reservoirs with temperatures of at least 300 degrees Fahrenheit (°F), or 149 degrees Celsius (°C). Geothermal reservoirs also often occur deep underground and are not detectable from the surface. Areas where geothermal does come to the surface include volcanoes, fumaroles, hot springs, and geysers, which are typically only found near tectonic plate boundaries.
The largest area of harvestable geothermal energy can be found at the Ring of Fire, which stretches across 15 countries and lines the edges of the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire holds roughly 40% of the world’s geothermal energy resources, with over 450 active and dormant volcanoes spanning the region.
Although the Ring of Fire has great potential for geothermal energy, it is also a hotspot for seismic activity and is located far away from major population centers. This makes the transportation of geothermal energy from power plants to consumers increasingly difficult.
Environmental Drawback #2: Geothermal Energy Can Trigger Seismic Activity
Geothermal energy can trigger seismic activity.
Geothermal Energy Drawback #2
High-pressure, geothermal fluid injections close to neighboring fault lines have the potential to trigger earthquakes.
Seismologists have a few theories as to why geothermal energy can induce earthquakes:
- Withdrawing steam and heat causes contractional stresses on the surrounding rocks
- Re-injecting cold water into hot rocks causes a stark thermal contrast
- Injection fluid can find its way into faults and lead to further fracturing
90% of all earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire, an area that coincides with the highest concentration of geothermal resources. In 2017, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck Pohang, South Korea, as a result of an experimental geothermal power plant. It injured 135 people and caused roughly $290 million in damages.
Environmental Drawback #3: Geothermal Energy Can Negatively Impact Human and Animal Health
Geothermal energy can cause air and groundwater contamination, and land use and habitat disruption.
Geothermal Energy Drawback #3
Steam vented from power plants can contain hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, and CO2, and plants can discharge dissolved solids including sulfur, chlorides, silica compounds, vanadium, arsenic, mercury, and nickel into the air or underground water systems. If concentrated, these gasses and dissolved solids could adversely impact human and animal health.
Hydrogen sulfide in particular can significantly impact human health, causing mild respiratory irritation at low levels and nausea, convulsions, or even death at high levels. Gas detection, proper ventilation, and monitoring systems can reduce these risks.
Groundwater contamination is the other main concern associated with geothermal energy. Geothermal fluids containing heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, mercury, lead) can contaminate drinking water if leached into the surrounding environment. Chronic exposure to arsenic has been linked with skin disorders and cancer, whereas long-term mercury exposure can impact the brain and nervous system.
As with any energy source, geothermal energy can also cause habitat fragmentation, which affects wildlife’s ability to migrate, reproduce, and find food. Surface construction involving drilling, pipelines, and power plants can disturb critical habitats, reduce continuous habitats, and alter soil, vegetation, and water resources. Implementing buffer zones and restoring the land post-construction can mitigate this risk to wildlife.
What Are the 5 Main Environmental Benefits of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source that has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, generates very few waste products, and has a minimal land use impact.
| 5 Environmental Benefits of Geothermal Energy | Quick Facts |
| Benefit #1: Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source | Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable resource that can reduce emissions for generations to come. |
| Benefit #2: Geothermal energy has a low carbon footprint | Geothermal energy has one of the lowest carbon footprints out of all energy types. On a life-cycle basis, geothermal energy emits 38 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per kWh of electricity produced, the 6th lowest out of all fuel types. |
| Benefit #3: Geothermal energy protects air quality | Geothermal energy produces minimal greenhouse gasses and emits minimal sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides, thereby helping to protect air quality. |
| Benefit #4: Geothermal energy generates few waste products | Geothermal energy generates few waste products upon operation, and minerals from geothermal fluid can be recovered. |
| Benefit #5: Geothermal energy has a minimal land use impact | Geothermal energy produces more power on less land than many other energy sources. |
Here’s How Environmentally Friendly Geothermal Energy Is
Overall, geothermal energy is considered to be environmentally friendly.
“Environmentally friendly: (of products) not harming the environment.”
Cambridge Dictionary
Geothermal energy does just as the word implies, it has a minimal, negative environmental impact.
| Building of geothermal energy | The building of geothermal energy can be environmentally friendly so long as construction activities do not disturb natural habitats, degrade the land, or lead to air or water pollution. |
| Operating and maintaining of geothermal energy | Geothermal energy emits minimal greenhouse gas emissions and has a minimal effect on the environment, provided that proper siting of geothermal power plants occurs. |
| Building back of geothermal energy | Recycling components of end-of-life geothermal facilities can help reduce their environmental impact. |
How Safe or Dangerous Is Geothermal Energy
Overall, geothermal energy is considered to be minimally dangerous. Holistically and throughout its life cycle, geothermal is safe and beneficial for human and animal health, the environment, and the energy grid.
Here’s How Safe Geothermal Energy Is
Overall, geothermal energy is a safe form of energy regarding human and animal health, the environment, the energy grid, and throughout all stages of its life cycle.
| How Safe Is Geothermal Energy at a Holistic Level | Human and Animal Health: Geothermal energy is considered safe for human and animal health, with main risks involving air quality and groundwater contamination, and habitat disruption able to be mitigated with proper siting, monitoring, and maintenance of geothermal facilities. Environment: Geothermal energy emits minimal greenhouse gas emissions and has a minimal effect on the environment, provided that proper siting of facilities and disposal of waste occurs. Energy Grid and Infrastructure: Geothermal energy is a safe and beneficial addition to our power grid. It promotes the decentralization of our energy supply, which increases power grid efficiency by reducing peak time usage and decreasing the likelihood of power outages. |
| How Safe Is Geothermal Energy Across Its Life-Cycle | Building: Safe work practices and proper training of geothermal professionals can mitigate any risks associated with drilling wells and constructing geothermal facilities. Operating and Maintaining: Geothermal energy is considered safe to operate and maintain because it does not harm human health or the environment when producing energy. Building Back: This final stage is considered to be safe overall, with the most common workplace hazards (lifting, trips and falls, electricity, and ladders) being mitigated by safe work practices. |
Here’s How Dangerous Geothermal Energy Is
Overall, geothermal energy is considered minimally dangerous in terms of human and animal health, the environment, the energy grid, and through all stages of its life cycle.
| How Dangerous Is Geothermal Energy at a Holistic Level | Human and Animal Health: Geothermal energy is considered minimally dangerous for human and animal health, with the main risks involving air quality and groundwater contamination, and habitat disruption. Environment: Geothermal energy is minimally dangerous to the environment, with land degradation and seismic activity being the two main concerns. Energy Grid and Infrastructure: Geothermal energy is not considered to be dangerous to our energy grid or supporting infrastructure. |
| How Dangerous Is Geothermal Energy Across Its Life-Cycle | Building: Building geothermal facilities can expose workers to a variety of hazards involving electricity, lack of fall protection, exposure to silica, trenching, and welding. Operating and Maintaining: Geothermal energy has minimal dangers associated with this stage, with exposure to high-temperature fluids from geothermal wells being the most common. Building Back: The most common workplace hazards of this stage include those resulting from lifting, trips and falls, electricity, and ladders. |
What Are the 6 Pros and 3 Cons of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source, has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, has a minimal land use impact, generates few waste products, and promotes energy independence and security.
However, geothermal energy has location restrictions, can trigger seismic activity, and comes with high upfront costs.
These Are the 6 Pros of Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy has various pros that make it effective at reducing carbon emissions.
| 6 Pros of Geothermal Energy | Quick Facts |
| #1: Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source | Geothermal energy is classified as a renewable energy source because the Earth has an almost unlimited supply of heat generated by its core. It is also sustainable because it emits minimal greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and does not negatively affect the environment, provided that proper siting and disposal methods are followed. |
| #2: Geothermal energy has a low carbon footprint | Geothermal energy has the sixth-lowest carbon footprint out of all energy types. On a life-cycle basis, geothermal energy emits 38 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced. |
| #3: Geothermal energy protects air quality | Rather than combusting toxic materials, geothermal energy uses naturally occurring hot water to create steam which spins turbines to generate electricity. Geothermal power plants emit 99% less CO2 than fossil fuel plants of comparable size. |
| #4: Geothermal energy has a minimal land use impact | Geothermal energy power plants generally only require 404 square miles (1,046 square kilometers) of land to produce 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity. Geothermal energy can produce the same amount of electricity as wind and solar energy on 70% and 88% less land, respectively. |
| #5: Geothermal energy generates few waste products | Geothermal energy releases minute amounts of GHGs including hydrogen sulfide and CO2. Most geothermal plants do not generate any solid waste. |
| #6: Geothermal energy promotes energy independence and energy security | Geothermal energy can help us transition away from fossil fuels and towards an energy-independent future. |
These Are the 3 Cons of Geothermal Energy
Understanding the drawbacks of geothermal energy is important in order to effectively mitigate climate change.
| 4 Cons of Geothermal Energy | Quick Facts |
| #1: Geothermal energy has location restrictions | Geothermal energy can only be built on reservoirs with temperatures of at least 300 degrees Fahrenheit (°F), or 149 degrees Celsius (°C). Geothermal reservoirs also often occur deep underground and are not detectable from the surface. |
| #2: Geothermal energy has high upfront costs | It costs an average of $2.5 million to construct a 1 MW capacity geothermal power plant due to the high expenses associated with identifying suitable geothermal sites and drilling the wells. |
| #3: Geothermal energy can trigger seismic activity | High-pressure, geothermal fluid injections close to neighboring fault lines have the potential to trigger earthquakes. |
How Effective and Efficient Is Geothermal Energy
In terms of effectiveness, geothermal energy effectively converts the Earth’s heat into electricity, has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, and promotes energy independence and security. However, it also comes with high upfront costs and location restrictions and can trigger seismic activity.
In terms of efficiency, geothermal energy efficiently converts the Earth’s heat into electricity, is a renewable and sustainable energy source, has a minimal land use footprint, increases the efficiency of our power grid, and generates few waste products.
Geothermal energy is effective because:
- Experts estimate that we could supply humanity’s total energy needs for the next 2 million years with only 0.1% of the heat content of the Earth.
- On a life-cycle basis, geothermal energy emits 38 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced, the 6th lowest out of all fuel types.
- Geothermal energy produces a fraction of the pollution and toxic chemicals that fossil fuels produce, helping to protect air quality.
- Geothermal energy can help us transition away from fossil fuels and toward an energy-independent future.
However, geothermal energy can lack effectiveness because:
- Geothermal energy comes with high initial costs, with a 1 MW capacity geothermal power plant costing an average of $2.5 million.
- Geothermal energy has location restrictions and can only be harnessed in areas with volcanic activity or geothermal reservoirs.
- High-pressure, geothermal fluid injections close to neighboring fault lines have the potential to trigger seismic activity, specifically earthquakes.
Geothermal energy is efficient because:
- Geothermal energy has a 12% average conversion efficiency and a 90% (or higher) capacity factor, meaning it is able to operate at maximum capacity almost all of the time.
- Geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable resource that can reduce emissions for generations to come.
- Geothermal energy produces more power on less land than many other energy sources.
- Geothermal energy promotes the decentralization of our energy supply which increases power grid efficiency by reducing peak time usage and decreasing the likelihood of power outages.
- Geothermal energy produces substantially less waste than other forms of energy.
How Can Geothermal Energy Help Mitigate Climate Change
Climate change is a severe, long-term consequence of fossil fuel combustion. If left untreated, atmospheric CO2 can remain there for tens of thousands of years and exacerbate the negative effects of climate change. Geothermal energy emits less CO2 upon operation than fossil fuels and can therefore reduce our total emissions.
How Is Climate Change Defined
Climate change is arguably the most severe, long-term global impact of CO2. Every year, we emit approximately 37 billion tons of CO2. The carbon found in fossil fuels reacts with oxygen in the air to produce CO2.
“Climate change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns, and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gasses, especially carbon dioxide.”
Oxford Dictionary
When carbon enters the atmosphere, it absorbs sunlight and solar radiation, trapping the heat and acting as an insulator for the planet.
Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius (°C), or 2 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). Between 1880-1980 the global temperature rose by 0.07°C every 10 years. This rate has more than doubled since 1981, with a current global annual temperature rise of 0.2°C, or 0.36°F, for every decade.
How Does Geothermal Energy Specifically Help Mitigate Climate Change
The global average concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere today registers at 419 parts per million (ppm), the highest ever recorded. Geothermal energy can help lower this concentration because it can replace some of the burning of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) with a cleaner form of renewable energy.
Throughout its life cycle, geothermal energy produces 1/6th the CO2 of a natural gas power plant. In the US alone, annual geothermal energy resources effectively offset the emission of 4.1 million metric tons of CO2, 200 thousand tons of SO2, 80 thousand tons of nitrogen oxides, and 110 thousand tons of particulate matter, when compared to conventional coal-fired plants.
Increasing geothermal energy usage can reduce CO2 emissions, and the more we reduce CO2 emissions, the more we combat the negative effects associated with climate change including temperature rise, sea-level rise, ice melting, and ocean acidification. When these rates are slowed, the earth’s biodiversity does not have to struggle to adapt to temperature and pH changes. People will not be displaced due to the flooding of coastal areas. And icebergs will continue to provide climate regulation.
Final Thoughts
Geothermal energy has location restrictions, can trigger seismic activity, and can negatively impact humans and animals if proper siting, construction, and disposal methods are not followed.
Geothermal energy is poised to see continued growth in the future as we look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming. As we look towards a future powered by renewables, geothermal energy is predicted to continue increasing in capacity because it benefits both our atmosphere and Earth’s biota.
Stay impactful,
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