Geothermal Drilling - Differing Terms and Definitions

Differing Terms and Definitions

Some confusion exists with regard to the terminology of heat pumps and the use of the term "geothermal". "Geothermal" derives from the Greek and means "heat from the Earth" - geologists understand it as describing hot rocks, volcanic activity or heat derived from deep in the earth. Confusion arises when the term "geothermal" is also used to apply to temperatures within the first 100 metres of the surface which closely match the mean annual air temperature at the surface where the sun is the predominant influence on temperature. Below 100 metres (330 ft), geothermal heat, as understood by geologists, begins to become significant as the Geothermal gradient increases by 2°C with each 100 metres (330 ft) of depth.

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