Geothermal Energy Resources

Abstract

In physics, energy is the ability of a physical system to do work on other physical systems. There are many different forms of energy including mechanical (potential, kinetic), thermal, electric, chemical and nuclear energy.

The different forms of energy can be converted from one to another. E.g., chemical energy is converted to mechanical energy in a combustion engine. Solar heat radiation is converted in a photovoltaic system into electrical current.

The distinction between renewable and non-renewable forms of energy resulted from the increasing insight that natural energy resources are limited. Non-renewable kinds of energy, also called fossil energy resources, include coal, oil, gas and nuclear fuels (e.g. uranium). These forms of energy renew on time scales that are not interesting for the present day human economic system.