grundstöð

A grundstöð is a geothermal power plant that utilizes the Earth's internal heat to generate electricity. The process typically involves drilling wells deep into the ground to access underground reservoirs of hot water or steam. This geothermal fluid is then brought to the surface.

There are several types of geothermal power plants. Dry steam plants use steam directly from the geothermal reservoir to spin turbines. Flash steam plants take hot, high-pressure water and reduce the pressure, causing some of it to flash into steam, which then drives turbines. Binary cycle plants use hot water that is not hot enough to produce steam at atmospheric pressure. Instead, this water is used to heat a secondary fluid with a lower boiling point, which then vaporizes and drives the turbines.

Geothermal energy is considered a renewable energy source because the Earth's heat is continuously replenished. Geothermal power plants have a relatively small land footprint compared to other energy sources and produce significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, the availability of suitable geothermal resources is geographically dependent, and the initial drilling and infrastructure costs can be substantial.