Geothermal energy is a renewable, clean and economic resource with enormous potential for economic decarbonization, energy transition and planetary sustainability.
Geothermal energy is the energy obtained by harnessing the Earth’s internal heat, it is considered continuous and inexhaustible. A geothermal reservoir is a subsurface area where the geothermal resource is susceptible to human exploitation. Geothermal reservoirs are classified according to the energy level of the resource they contain. They can be classified as follows:
Above 150◦C.
Also called high temperature geothermal resources. From them, water and steam are obtained at very high pressure and temperature, so they are used to generate electric power. Geothermal energy for electricity generation takes advantage of high-temperature geothermal resources (above 100 ºC), which are generally found in the form of hot subway fluids, to generate electricity.
These resources are available in deep geothermal reservoirs, below 1,500 meters.
Between 30◦C and 150◦C.
Also called medium-low temperature. They are used to provide heating and hot water to population centers, as well as in spas and other industries. Geothermal energy for thermal uses -heating, cooling- can be obtained by taking advantage of the temperature difference between the subsoil and the environment by means of a heat pump and a buried heat exchanger, being able to generate heat and cold indistinctly. It uses geothermal resources below 100 ºC, located at depths of up to 1,000 meters. This type of geothermal energy is known as low enthalpy geothermal energy in the case of direct uses.
Below 30◦C.
These are very low temperature geothermal resources and take advantage of both the heat generated under the earth’s crust and the heat from the sun that is absorbed. They are mainly used for air conditioning, providing heating and cooling, as well as hot water for buildings and homes.
