Here in Iceland, the geothermal power plant behind me uses renewable energy. It uses water and heat from the ground. Iceland doesn’t have to worry about “using it up”. It’s renewable!
Iceland uses heat from under the ground to create energy.
Look at the geothermal power plant in the video below. It’s very large. Many pipes of hot water lead to it, so it can use the hot water’s steam to generate electricity. (Sorry about all the noise in the video. That’s the wind blowing through the microphone. The geothermal plant is very quiet.)
This pod covers a drill that goes deep into the ground. It’s pulling out hot water to send to the power plant down the hill.
The geothermal plants don’t need to burn air-polluting coal to create electricity. Instead, they create steam by heating up water.
Holes are drilled into the ground until they reach the hot water that naturally flows underground in Iceland. Click on the picture to read about the process: hot water’s steam to electricity.
The steam from the hot water has lots of pressure to push large turbines around and around. As the turbines move, they create electricity.
This is a sample turbine. The pressure of hot water’s steam pushes it around. As it rotates, it generates electricity.
This video shows a working model of the hot water and steam as it travels from the drill site on the left, past the turbines, and out of the plant as electricity on the right.
Inside the geothermal plant, I saw lots of machinery. The workers harness the hot water’s steam by sending it through large pipes and past a turbine, so it will turn and generate electricity. The electricity then travels out through electric wires.
The electricity made by the geothermal plant is sent through wires to homes and businesses throughout Iceland.
This line graph shows the large amounts of poisonous carbon dioxide that used to be produced by Iceland’s power plants when they burned coal to generate electricity. When Iceland began using geothermal power in the 1970’s, much less carbon dioxide went into the air.
Iceland’s power plants create very little air pollution when they generate electricity, unlike most American power plants that generate lots of air pollution when they burn coal to make electricity. This also makes Iceland’s electricity very cheap. People who live there spend very little money on electricity, so they have more money for the fun things in life. 🙂
Taking a rest on some cooled lava. Behind the geothermal station you see in the distance is a nice warm pool of water the power station no longer needs. Chirpy says, “Let’s go see the big bird bath!”
Near one of the power stations, the hot water that’s been used to create electricity is piped to a large outdoor pool before it continues on its way to the ocean. It’s become a tourist attraction for Icelandic people, as well as people visiting Iceland from around the world. I can tell you from first-hand experience, that no matter the weather, this water is always nice and warm. 🙂
The water is warm and lovely. There’s a swim-up bar on the far side of the island. “A Blueberry Smoothie please!”
The “Blue Lagoon” has water flowing into it and out of it at all times. The water was used by the power station to make steam. Can you see the power station in the background, under the rainbow?
Iceland is amazing. Geothermal power plants are too. I´m glad Iceland is helping slow down climate change. This is a safe way to make energy !Our power plant creates a lot of air pollution when it generates electricity because they burn coal. Why cant we be like them!? I didn’t know that steam has so much pressure that it can power a turbine. That´s amazing!
Wow that’s awesome how in Iceland they use heat and water to make energy.While in America we have to waist money to make energy.
I wish the U.S had hydroelectric power plants! They’re very cool, and they don’t pollute the air! Also, less money. I think that all around the world in every country, there should be hydroelectric power plants.
I love how the blue lagoon looks like a hot tub. I also love how people in iceland can get electricity without hurting the environment.
The Blue Lagoon is one really big hot tub! Also the pod that covers the drill looks really cool! Its so awesome that the people in Iceland have a way of getting electricity without hurting our environment.
I think that the Icelandic government have the right idea because using geothermal energy helps the Earth have decreased global warming. I think it’s also cool for the people they can go swimming in warm water that is produced from the plant.
WOW! That is so cool! I want to go to iceland and see all this amazing stuff. It’s so amazing that their using hot water to create electricity!
Before I read this I didn’t even know that iceland used geothermal power plants I thought they used regular power plant. And the good thing about this is that they don’t pollute the air or water. Overall i’ve learned a lot from this.
We never knew Iceland uses heat to make energy.Its interesting how Ireland saves money and energy. While America spends so much money into making energy.Why don’t we do the same.
I learned that Iceland’s power plant creates very little air pollution when they generate electricity. Our power plant creates a lot of air pollution when it generates electricity because they burn coal. I never knew that Iceland’s electricity is cheap. Why can’t we have cheap electricity? No fair!
I learned that Iceland the electricity made by the geothermal plant goes to homes and buisneses
It is really cool how you can create electricity by using hot water. The pool looks like so much fun.
I learn that in Iceland makes energy by water and pool it was huge wish I were there looks like a lot of fun.
I thought it was cool how that machinery could harness energy by turning a turbine from a generator from magma heat! The machinery looks very complicated so there is probably not many thermal-heat power plants in the world. It´s good that it is in Iceland because it between two geographical plates so it has lots of magma bubbling underneath.
Is is absolutely fascinating that you can create electricity without pollution with hot water.Also that pool looks very relaxing one day I hope to go there.:)
This is very interesting because the world has a lot of magma. That can be used to create energy. I didn’t know that steam has so much pressure that it can power a turbine. It’s amazing to think that people invented a way to make energy without creating a lot of pollution.
I learned so much from reading that. I think it is really cool that you an produce electricity without polluting the air. I personally liked reading about how you can power turbines with heated water. I also really want to swim in the hot water.
It is very nice that iceland is doing something to help slow down climate change. It is also very cool that instead of using fossil fuels to create energy they use steam to create energy.
Gabriel U.S.A
I learned that Iceland uses heat from the ground to power a lot of things like sink water, shower water. that is what I learned!!!
We think that the geothermal energy is a really good way to slow down climate change.
Nick/Vanesa
Iceland looks amazing, I want to go there when I’m older. I learned that Iceland’s hot water near a power station, goes into a pool! That must feel amazing. It is kind of like a giant hot tub. I have to put Iceland on my “Must Go LIst”. I think the most interesting part was the turbine, it looked so cool!
Wow!!! I did not know there is a massive hot tub in Iceland. I really want to swim in that and go to Iceland when I’m a bit older
We learned a lot about geothermal power. One thing we learned is this is an energy safe way to power. It also helps global warming by not burning coal.
I never knew that type of power plant existed.;)
Wow!!! That was so interesting. I never knew that you can make energy from the heat of lava. We thought that the pool was a good use for so much water that wasn’t being used
we learned a lot about the water under ground and thought that it was cool before the hot water goes into the ocean after they put it in the pool for people to swim in.People pay less for there electricity.