Arizona Solar Center Blog

Wind turbine

Wind/Solar Electric Array SE of Tucson

Geothermal energy is, literally, the heat of the earth. The heat itself derives from radioactive decay beneath the earth's surface and, in certain locations, it is concentrated enough and is close enough to surface waters to be brought to the surface for a variety of purposes. When it is above 150 degrees C (302 F), it is usually considered hot enough to be used to generate electricity as it is in Italy, El Salvador, Mexico, Japan, Iceland, and Indonesia, among other countries. No such operations exist in Arizona, but several power plants are currently in operation just west of Yuma, Arizona in the Imperial Valley of southeastern California. Although some high temperature geothermal resources exist southeast of Phoenix near the now-retired Williams Air Force Base, they have never been deemed economically feasible.

Hydropower has been used for millennia in most countries of the world. Its longest application has been for use in mechanical tasks, such as grinding grain. With such simple mechanical devices as a "noria", it has also long been used to lift water. Within the last 100 years, hydropower was applied to the conversion of its kinetic energy to electrical energy. Today, hydropower produces 24 percent of the world's electricity and supplies more than 1 billion people with power.

Hydropower

Hydropower has been used for millennia in most countries of the world. Its longest application has been for use in mechanical tasks, such as grinding grain. With such simple mechanical devices as a "noria", it has also long been used to lift water. Within the last 100 years...
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