complete a written essay (500 words) detailing a specific cause and your stance (for or against).
My goal is to provide research and evidence as to why we should not use geothermal energy site at Newberry.
Society and Geology Final Project
The goal of this project is to relate a current policy debate to your studies in geology.
This project will you to 1) identify and comprehend an issue 2) identify the stakeholders involved (who is
for and against, who benefits and who doesn’t) 3) summarize the science/geology involved in making an
informed decision and 4) take a position!
Final Deliverable: Approximately 500 words text ~2 pages should be sufficient. Content is more
important than length and I encourage the use of picture and/or figures in papers!
Topic: Geothermal Energy at Newberry
Outline:
The topic I am interested in discussing is the geothermal energy at Newberry Volcano.
Newberry is currently developing a renewable energy production complex that will use
geothermal energy to power turbines, using multiple deep drilling operations as well as installing
a generator plant.
Those for this stakeholder are prioritizing clean and renewable energy sources for Central
Oregon. The stance of this project stresses the opportunities of geothermal, and how
geothermal energy is a reliable source as it is shown to be easier to anticipate the power output
from a geothermal plant with a high degree of accuracy, making it a trustworthy source, and
how it is a better source than fossil fuels.
Cons of geothermal energy that pose an opposition to this project can be to ensure long-term
viability, as well as environmental concerns regarding Geothermal plants. Environmental
concerns and probable seismic activity, including procedures comparable to ‘fracking,’ as well
as the possibility of an increased risk of earthquakes because of energy extraction.
To make an informed decision it would be important to find the benefits and disadvantages of
this project, as well as how they studied the sites surrounding area and its geothermal potential,
and the knowledge and data gained from those efforts provide the scientific foundation, as well
as seismic activity
For my report, I am taking a stance against the geothermal energy at Newberry. It’s expensive
and you don’t get a good return on your investment. Nuclear + solar + wind is more viable for
the future. Basically, you can have 100 years of waste onsite because a coal plant makes that
much ash in literally less than a week. Solar and wind are literally free energy with no strings
attached, it just needs to get cheaper to harvest and cheaper to store. If you’re going to do
something environmentally questionable you should at least have it be economically viable.