geothermal

adjective

geo·ther·mal ˌjē-ō-ˈthər-məl

: of, relating to, or utilizing the heat of the earth's interior

also : produced or permeated by such heat

geothermal steam

geothermal regions

geothermally

ˌjē-ō-ˈthər-mə-lē

adverb

Did you know?

Geothermal comes partly from the Greek thermos, "hot". Most geothermal electricity is provided by power plants situated in areas where there is significant activity of the Earth's great tectonic plates—often the same areas where volcanoes are found. But hot water from deep underground may be used by cities far from volcanoes to heat buildings or sidewalks. And a newer source of geothermal energy relies on a less dramatic kind of heat: Individual homeowners can now install heat pumps that take advantage of the 50°-60° temperature of the soil near the surface to provide heating in cold weather (and air-conditioning in the warm months). These very small-scale geothermal systems may eventually supply more useful energy than the large power plants.

Examples of geothermal in a Sentence

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For several days, the city wasn’t able to access a federal Treasury account containing the money needed to continue work on a geothermal project underneath Union Station. —

John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2025 Researchers are developing a wide range of approaches to store grid-scale energy, including ceramic blocks, nickel-hydrogen batteries, geothermal spaces, hydrogen, methanol, and sand, but none are ready for large-scale deployment. —

IEEE Spectrum, 4 Feb. 2025 Energy Star heat pumps and geothermal heat pumps may be eligible for tax credits. —

Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025 This connection aligns geothermal with Trump's pro-oil stance while maintaining bipartisan appeal in Congress. —

John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for geothermal