Geothermal

Environmental Impact

Geothermal power plants have relatively little environmental impact—they burn no fuel to create electricity. These plants do create small amounts of carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds, but geothermal emissions are far smaller than those created by fossil fuel power plants.

Geothermal Challenges. Switch Energy Alliance, www.switchon.org

Geothermal

Pros and cons of geothermal as an energy source

PROS	CONS
Minimal environmental impact	Geothermal fields found in few areas around the world
Efficient	Expensive start-up costs
Low emissions	Wells could eventually be depleted
Low cost after the initial investment

PROS

Minimal environmental impact

Efficient

Low emissions

Low cost after the initial investment

CONS

Geothermal fields found in few areas around the world

Expensive start-up costs

Wells could eventually be depleted