We all use energy every single day, from the electricity being used to power your computer, to the energy used to heat the water for your shower to the fuel that is used to run your car, bus or train, we are all energy consumers.
Almost all these energy sources originate here on earth. In Ireland we rely heavily on coal, oil and natural gas to run our homes and to run power stations that supply us with electricity. These energy sources are known as fossil fuels, they are formed from the decomposition of remains of living organisms. Fossil fuels are a key contributor to global warming. When burned they produce carbon dioxide which gets trapped in our atmosphere and this causes the greenhouse effect.
Fossil fuels are also a finite resource and as time goes by less and less fossil fuel resources are available. As fossil fuels become more scarce different methods of extracting this resource are being developed. One of these methods is Fracking. However, fracking does not address the issue of global warming or help in the search for renewable resources. It is vital that we continue to search for renewable resources to meet our energy needs. One method in which we can harness the earth as a source of energy is Geothermal Energy.
