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To: kiriath_jearim
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are increasingly expensive and dump carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

There's a geothermal plant outside my town. Stinks like rotten eggs (but it smelled that way before since it's the site of a natural thermal spring).

Great energy source, though. Last I heard, the technology was at the point where they were trying to heat the water in an enclosed system (pipes carrying the water round-trip) to avoid the problem of corrosion and mineral build-up, which can be substantial.

10 posted on 01/22/2007 3:51:44 PM PST by randog (What the...?!)
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To: randog
Last I heard, the technology was at the point where they were trying to heat the water in an enclosed system (pipes carrying the water round-trip) to avoid the problem of corrosion and mineral build-up, which can be substantial.

I've visited a couple of hydrothermal pilot plants that were set up in the 70s-80s and those problems seemed insurmountable. Corrosion ate up metal as fast as it could be replaced and minerals continually blocked pipes and valves. This would be the best possible source of energy IMO if it can be perfected. Does anyone know how they're getting around those problems in Iceland?

17 posted on 01/22/2007 3:59:02 PM PST by Bernard Marx
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