Renewable energy to an Icelander is what sleek automotive luxury is to a German: a given. Electricity and water bills are embarrasingly minimal (though it seems only fair that some necessities are cheap when food prices are so high) and that is all thanks to the immense geothermal power plants dotted along the country side.

Now Germans can marvel at a more environmentally friendly mechanical wonder since we are bringing geothermal power plants to Bavaria.

Earlier in the week it was reported that Icelandic geothermal company Enex, owned by Reykjavík Energy Company and Geysir Green Energy, plans to build six geothermal plants in Bavaria in Germany in the next few years.

This is Germany’s way to steer the nation’s energy resources towards a more environmentally friendly future. It couldn’t have come at a better time either. People are becoming increasingly aware of where the planet’s well-being is headed and this feels like Germany’s way of setting an eco- friendly example for the rest of Europe.

These six plants will generate a total of 84 megawatts of electricity, besides delivering a considerable amount of hot water. Construction costs for each plant is estimated at between ISK 3 and 6 billion (USD 50-90 million) and the first plant will likely be up and running within two years.

There are three different types of geothermal power plants. Flash steam power plants utilize water above 182°C (360°F) from geothermal reservoirs. When the water is pumped from the reservoir to the plant, the drop in pressure forces the water to vaporize into steam to power the turbine. And to make it even <more> renewable,  any water not transformed into steam is injected back into the reservoir for reuse.

Dry steam is the 'old school' type of geothermal power plant. It uses hot steam, typically above 235°C (455°F), to directly power its turbines. Simple but effective.

The last type of geothermal plant is the binary cycle plant which uses cooler water than that of flash steam plants. The hot water from geothermal reservoirs is passed through a heat exchanger which transfers heat to a separate pipe containing fluids with a much lower boiling point. These liquids, usually Iso-butane or Iso-pentane, are vaporized to power the turbine. Though it sounds more complicated binary cycle plants are favoured because they are cheaper and are more efficient.

Here’s the catch though, and this is why the Germans deserve a gold star for extra effort. The prices for green energy are twice as high as energy created by burning fossil fuels. Fuel hogs the world over are shivering in their boots.

“What will <I> do once my government decides to go earth friendly?”. Well there really isn’t much choice, except of course to fight against the development of renewable resources or move to America which is one of the few countries still resisting the Kyoto agreement. 

Of course that is just ridiculous. Finite means just that. Once we run out—and we will—that’s it. No more oil, no more coal, no more mindless vacuuming of natural resources. Kaput. If we need to sacrifice a little more now to save our butts later I don’t see why this should be an issue.

This is where the magic word comes in. Infinite. Geothermal, solar, hydrogen and wind. It’s endless and as a person who reaps the benefits of renewable energy I must confess it rocks.

NÁ – nannaa@hotmail.co.uk