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steam plant
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One of two types of geothermal power plant, the other being the binary cycle plant. Steam plants use very hot – more than 300 °F (150 °C) – steam and hot water resources. The steam either comes directly from the resource (see dry steam plant ), or the very hot, high-pressure water is depressurized ("flashed") to produce steam (see flash-steam plant). The steam then turns turbines, which drive generators that generate electricity. The only significant emission from these plants is water vapor. Minute amounts of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, and sulfur are emitted, but almost 50 times less than at traditional, fossil-fuel power plants.
Related category
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND POWER
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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