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Make yellow Stone a geothermal plant?

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posted on May, 6 2008 @ 02:09 AM
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If we where to make Yellowstone National Park, or at least the area around old faithful, into a massive geothermal plant,; is there enough energy there to supply America's domestic needs?

I was wondering, because if Yellowstone is a Supermassive Cladera, then why aren't we tapping into that massive source of "free energy"?

Or any others?
And why do none of the "environemental" groups suggest that we tap such resources?
Thoughts?



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 04:12 AM
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Dude you would not need to be within miles of the tourist spots to tap a the largest and shallowest hotspot on the planet.
The diameter of the hotspot is 80 KM. You could pack an awful lot of power plants in an 80 KM circle.

The cyst of lava under that area is so big that if it blew out, it would wipe out half the US.

And by tapping the heat we would actually be cooling the area, solidifying the mantle, and reducing the likelyhood of that blowout.

But you better watch your mouth! McCain wants to build 300 Nuclear plants in the next ten years. Talk like yours that is un-patriotic.

un-american

anti-american

Threatens the welfare of the nation

Terroristic

Here is an excerpted reference
www.bbc.co.uk...

Hot Spot

Yellowstone is right above what is termed a mantle hot spot. Scientists theorise that 25 million years ago, the molten portion of the Earth's core ejected a mass of hot material directly below Yellowstone. Ten million years ago, that plume reached the surface of the earth, and spread out to form a shape much like a martini glass. These are not entirely uncommon as there are approximately 40 active hotspots on Earth today, nearly all of them in oceans7. The Yellowstone Hotspot had the power to burn through an entire continent. Molten rock exists under the Park today anywhere from three to eight miles below the surface by geophysical estimates. Compared to the rest of the planet, parkgoers are truly skating on thin ice.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 04:23 AM
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Remember what happened in asia when they drilled for gas on the cheap that uncorked a mud geyser ruining miles of surrounding terrain? They went so far as to drop cement balls in it to staunch the flow to no avail.
You want to drill into magma? Probably a brilliant idea but not with todays technology.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 04:50 AM
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Here in New Zealand we have been producing geothermal energy since 1958 currently producing 7% of our total energy needs and this is just one spot. we currently have mapped about 130 other areas.

Lake Taupo where this area is, is a Caldera just like Yellowstone but filled with water hence the lake term. It has erupted 28 times in the last 27000 years (odds about every 980 yrs).

Also its is 616 square kilometres.

So I guess I don't understand what all the fuss is about little Yellowstone.

Also Iceland has similar Calderas as us and they don't seem to worry.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 04:56 AM
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reply to post by jpm1602
 


Drilling into magma is not required (nor even feasible for that matter) in order to extract geothermal energy. Hell, you can heat and cool your entire house through heat pump technology with a simple system and some buried pipes in your back yard.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 05:04 AM
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Just makes me nervous is all. I'll take one of my nerve pills. Skiddish that way. I see the points though. All well taken.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 06:38 AM
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reply to post by Cyberbian
 


Well I agree we need to build nuclear plants. We should have been doing it for the last thirty years. If we had, OPEC wouldnt have the power it does now. However, given how much of boondoggle most "renewable" sources of energy are, I dont see why we don't take advatage of "the lowest hanging fruit" so to speak.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 06:50 AM
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Sounds reasonable to me. While we are at it, turn the god forsaken Mojave Desert into a giant solar plant as well.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 06:55 AM
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We Americans CONSUME 25 percent of global energy.
Any and all energy supply sans oil is desperately needed. If we have any hope potential left at all.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 07:07 AM
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Originally posted by Karlhungis
Sounds reasonable to me. While we are at it, turn the god forsaken Mojave Desert into a giant solar plant as well.


Won't help.
We could cover every square inch of ameria in solar cells tomorrow, and it still wouldnt generate 20% of the energy we consumed yesterday.
Literally.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 07:12 AM
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Originally posted by Shazam The Unbowed
We could cover every square inch of ameria in solar cells tomorrow, and it still wouldnt generate 20% of the energy we consumed yesterday.
Literally.


I get your drift, but I'm not sure I'm willing to buy that stament, i.e. literally.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 07:14 AM
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Correct shazam. The underlying problem is consumption. These new lcd tv's they are shoving down our throats use 80 to 240 watts per hour. That's like leaving your blow dryer on. Many issues need to be resolved here in regards to conservation.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 07:20 AM
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Just because we couldn't run the entire country on solar, doesn't mean that blanketing the desert wouldn't be useful in offsetting the power consumption of LA or Vegas.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 07:58 AM
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Originally posted by jpm1602
Correct shazam. The underlying problem is consumption. These new lcd tv's they are shoving down our throats use 80 to 240 watts per hour. That's like leaving your blow dryer on. Many issues need to be resolved here in regards to conservation.


Conservation of energy usage is another dead end Im afraid. Even if we magically froze energy consumption levels where they are today. It wouldnt matter. Over 2 billion people in China and India want heated and AC's homes, plasmascreen TV's, good roads, and a comfortbale life. That requires energy. Should africa ever start to really develo economically, thats another billion. There is now ay to cut energy consumption without killing people. So we either increase supply, or people die.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 08:10 AM
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See your point. Very well taken and understood.
A completely new zero energy source is the only recourse.
And what are the chances of that?

Ok, now I am thoroughly depressed.

China, India, and others striving towards 'gasp' vehicular modality, a/c and heat.

Ya, we're screwed.
Game over man, game over. I'd like a glimpse at what we will behold ten years from now. Or maybe not.

[edit on 5/6/2008 by jpm1602]



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 08:13 AM
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Originally posted by Shazam The Unbowed
If we where to make Yellowstone National Park, or at least the area around old faithful, into a massive geothermal plant,; is there enough energy there to supply America's domestic needs?

Good question. I did some fast research on this, and it looks like Yellowstone National Park could easily generate the same power output as around 20 nuclear power plants, which could provide around 10% of our domestic needs.

Here is a breakdown. (Very thumbnail.)

A big geothermal power plant can produce around 100 Megawatts of power, which is enough for around 100 thousand households. (There are about 100 million households in the USA.) So if we built 100 geothermal plants in Yellowstone, that would furnish the electrical power for about 10% of the households in the USA.

A typical nuclear power plant generates about 500 Megawatts. Geothermal is not as powerful, but of course the energy is virtually free.

I don't know how easy it would be to build more than 100 geothermal plants. I think there would be a lot of congestion there. If you assume each geothermal plant would require around 500 acres (about two square kilometers) then we are talking about 200 square kilometers of Yellowstone dedicated to power production (i.e. about 15 x 15 kilometers of area.)

But I think it could all be done very carefully and aesthetically (and why not!) It would be a MAJOR help in our energy situation.

www.energy.ca.gov...

I think we should get started. I will meet everyone at 7:00 AM tomorrow, at the central gates. Please bring your own shovel and be prepared for a long hard day of work!

Edit: Adjusted numbers after double checking. Please note this is very approximate.

[edit on 6-5-2008 by Buck Division]



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 08:38 AM
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Originally posted by Buck Division
I think we should get started. I will meet everyone at 7:00 AM tomorrow, at the central gates. Please bring your own shovel and be prepared for a long hard day of work!

Edit: Adjusted numbers after double checking. Please note this is very approximate.


So does this mean we should each bring 2 shovels? Also, I have some landscaping rock and some potted plants I'll bring along.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 08:43 AM
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Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran, Unleash the nuclear carnage. While the McCains, Bushies, and Rumsfelds play tiddlywinks for a few months. Then emerge from their spider holes to a great new world. Ahhhh, I smell the fresh jasmine in the air. 6.6 billion humans on this rock is non sustainable, and smelly.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 08:54 AM
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We have the technology's to safely operate nuclear plants. I wish we would build 3000 not 300. I would love to see Nuke, wind geothermal and any other power generating systems put on line to get us off oil. I wonder how far and how many solar, nuclear, wind etc... plants we could have built with the trillion spent in Iraq war.



posted on May, 6 2008 @ 09:00 AM
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I always pictured a caldera as a giant balloon. If you disrupt the exterior, or "shell" of the caldera then you run the risk of imploding the structure, thus causing a MAJOR eruption. Mind you, I am no geothermal physicist, but that just seems logical.







 
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