- Geothermal energy consists of harnessing heat from the ground to produce electricity.
- In a geothermal plant, high-pressure hot water in contact with high-temperature rocks in deep layers of the earth is extracted (this depends on each region, rocks can be located approx. at 0.5 to 2 km deep), and converted into steam to drive turbines and generate electricity.
- Geothermal power plants are advantageous in that they allow the use of a constant, clean, and renewable energy source.
Geothermal energy
- Cerro Pabellón was inaugurated in March 2017 and is the first and only geothermal plant in Chile, as well as South America. It is located northeast of Calama at 4,500 meters above sea level.
- The plant has an installed capacity of 81 MW and can produce 600 GWh of energy per year, which is equivalent to the consumption of more than 300,000 Chilean households.
- Chile is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, so it has great geothermal potential. It is estimated that 3,800 MW can be produced which would bx1e equivalent to one-sixth of the installed capacity in Chile today
Animation Geothermal power plant