Geothermal power is generated from the high temperatures that can be found in various parts of the Earth's crust such as volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers. The high temperatures range from 107º C (225º F) to 315º C (600º F) and occur in these areas due primarily to the decay of radio-active isotopes that occur within the rocks of the earth's crust. The water that surrounds and fills the gaps between the rocks in the crust is raised in temperature by these natural processes. This hot water is then pumped to the surface and its steam is captured and used to create electrical power through a turbine system.
There are three common types of geothermal power: dry steam, flash steam, and binary cycle. Dry steam is rare and uses the steam directly from the earth, flash steam pumps the hot water that naturally occurs in the earth to the surface and utilizes its steam, and binary cycle uses a secondary fluid and its vapor to power a generator.
In addition, there are new, smaller types of geothermal that are not as site-dependent as traditional, large-scale systems.
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