Energy produced from geothermal sources is very promising for the United States. The desperate need to reduce or omit our dependency on oil has reached the crucial point. We cannot ignore or procrastinate when it comes to stopping Global warming.  Geothermal activity is usually found around areas with major plate boundaries and where volcano's and earthquakes are prevalent. Most of the geothermal areas are located in the Ring of Fire and most of you should be familiar with the phrase. The Ring of Fire is the rim of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the United States geothermal areas are located in the western states such as Alaska, California and Hawaii Right now California is the leader in generating electricity from geothermal energy.

There are three ways to capture geothermal energy.  One way is to use the earth's temperature near the surface by using hot water from springs or reservoirs; this would be considered direct heating or district heating. Another way to obtain geothermal energy is to drill miles down into the earth. In electricity generation, a power plant requires water or steam at very high temperature (300 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit). Geothermal power plants are generally built where geothermal reservoirs are located within a mile or two of the surface. Lastly; Geothermal heat pumps use stable ground or water temperatures near the earth's surface to control building temperatures above ground.

California has 33 geothermal power plants and produces 90 % of the nations geothermal electricity.
Nevada has 13 geothermal power plants.

Hawaii and Utah each has one geothermal power plant.

There are three basic types of geothermal power plants.
Dry steam plants - use steam piped directly from a geothermal reservoir to turn the generator turbines.
Flash steam plants - take high-pressure hot water from deep inside the earth and convert it to steam to drive the generator turbines. When the steam cools, it condenses to water and is injected back into the ground to be used over and over again.
Binary power plants - transfer the heat from geothermal hot water to another liquid. The heat causes the second liquid to turn to steam, which is used to drive a generator turbine.

Geothermal Heat pumps basically use the earth's constant temperature to transfer to heat and cool buildings, while the earths ground is always about 50-60 degrees, it is cooler in the summer than the air and warmer in the winter than the earths surface air. The EPA, and the Department of energy is convinced that geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective systems for temperature control. And have partnered with industry to promote the use of geothermal heat pumps.

Geothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so their emission levels are very low. They release less than 1 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant. Geothermal plants use scrubber systems to clean the air of hydrogen sulfide that is naturally found in the steam and hot water. Geothermal plants emit 97 percent less acid rain (sulfur compounds than are emitted by fossil fuel plants). After the steam and water from a geothermal reservoir have been used, they are injected back into the earth. The continuous cycle of geothermal is a never ending clean supply of energy that certain parts of the world could use and lessen their dependency on fossil fuels immensely.
Klamath falls uses some geothermal energy to warm buildings and streets. There is no real reason that the United States and other countries that are part of the Pacific Rim do not capitalize on the benefits of geothermal energy. The possibilities are great and the results are magnificent.

The Glitnir bank of(Iceland) has been a leading player in providing finance to the geothermal industry in the United States, which is the biggest market in the world for geothermal energy. The bank has sustainable energy teams in both Iceland and at a new office in New York City.

"The US Geothermal market is very interesting for us as we foresee considerable developments in the energy market, especially regarding alternative energy resources. Glitnir's position in the US geothermal industry is strong and the outlook is very good,"
NOTE: Iceland has been the most successful country at developing energy from renewable sources. Geothermal energy currently provides hot water and heating for most of the buildings in the country, with only one per cent of homes heated by fossil fuels.

Geothermal should be explored and developed, even though some of the United States geothermal areas are in national parks, I do not think that we should even consider drilling or tapping into any national park for its resources. We have plenty other geothermal areas in which we could develop and use to help meet our energy needs. All we need to do is get going and for once not run the research and development on who will become an energy billionaire, but develop the energy for the good of the people of the world, and for the health of the world itself.