When a geothermal resource is available at temperatures above 120oC (give or take), electricity can be generated in a geothermal power plant.
The exact specification of the power plant will be tailored to the geothermal environment, but broadly speaking there are three key types of geothermal power plant:
1. Binary Power Plant
2. Flash Steam Power Plant
3. Dry Steam Power Plant
Every type of plant uses hot water to generate steam, which turns a turbine to generate electricity. However, depending on the temperature of the water, different methods are required to maximise the efficiency of the energy conversion process.
Below you can discover the key differences between each type of power plant, and how this leads to key variations in the surface infrastructure required to generate electricity in different parts of the world.