Present Development of
Geothermal Energy
by Wenjun Jiang,
Department of Electrical Engineering,
Japan
１. Introduction
Heat from the earth
No pollution
Renewable
Versatile
１.１Ｇｅｏｔｈｅｒｍａｌ Ｒｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ
When the rising hot water and steam is trapped in permeable and porous
rocks under a layer of impermeable rock, it can form a geothermal reservoir.
Many areas have accessible geothermal resources,
especially countries along the circum-Pacific “Ring of
Ｆire,” spreading centers, continental rift zones and other
hot spots.
2.1Ｄｒｉｅｃｔ (Non-Electric) Uses
Bathing in hot pools
Heating the plants in the greenhouse
Keeping roads from icing over in winter
2.2 Electric Uses
Natural steam from the production wells
power the turbine generator.
Main Types of Geothermal
Power Plants
Dry steam type
Flash type
Binary type
Dry steam resource is used to turn
turbines and generate electricity.
3．Present Status
Geothermal-generated electricity was first
produced at Larderello（Italy） in 1904.
Since then, the use of geothermal energy
for electricity has grown worldwide to about
8,000 megawatts.
over 20 countries around the world （Iceland,
United States, ltaly, France ,Japan etc.)
3．１Present Status in Japan
The total generating capacity of geothermal plants as of March 2005 is
534,240kW consisting of 13 Commercial power plants of 520,600kW
and 5 private power plants of 13,640kW.
Geothermal power plants in Japan
Name of power plant
For private
Approved output capacity [kW]
Onuma
9,500
Suginoi Hotel
3,000
Kirishima Kokususai
Hotel
100
Takenoyu Chinetsu
50
KujuKanko Hotel
990
Geothermal power plants in Japan
Name of power plant
Approved output capacity [kW]
Marsukawa
23,500
Otake
12,500
Onikobe
12,500
Hatchobaru No.1,No.2 55,000(No.1)55,000(No.2)
Kakkonda No.1,No.2
For public
Use
50,000(No.1)30,000(No.2)
Mori
50,000
Uenotai
28,800
Yamagawa
30,000
Sumikawa
50,000
Yanaizu Nishiyama
65,000
Ogiri
30,000
Takigami
25,000
Hachijojima
3,300
6. Conclusion
Geothermal energy is a kind of
sustainable, versatile natural resource
and has not much impact on the
environment.
Although there are not many places
to build geothermal power plants, once
a geothermal power station is built,
no fuel is needed.
7. References
Marilyn L.Nemzer, Executive Director,
Geothermal Education Office, Tiburon, CA
（Geothermal Education Office)
Duffield, Wendell A., John H. Sass, and
Michael L. Sorey, 1994, Tapping the
Earth’s Natural Heat: U.S. Geological
Survey Circular 1125 (reprints available
from Geothermal Education Office)