Interesting news for our homes
A practically inexhaustible source of energy to heat our homes at a very low cost and in a clean and environment respectful manner: this is the dream of millions of families all over the world… certainly also ours! Geothermic energy seams to answer all these requests and, since the dawn of civilization, man has learnt to use the heat inside the Earth. Initially man enjoyed the pleasure of thermal baths with naturally heated water and later on, at the beginning of the 20th century, learning to use water to produce electric energy (5,570 Gwh were produced in Italy in 2007). Moreover, water was also used to warm houses of entire cities (the first district heating plant was started in Iceland in 1925). However, until a few years ago, the use of geothermal energy for domestic heating had two important limits which strongly held back its diffusion: geothermal power could be obtained in the presence of relatively high temperatures (60 – 80 °C) and only in the area of the geothermal fields; the heat used was therefore endogenous: it was not possible to transport the heat too far from its source nor was it possible to use it at a low temperature (that is to say at a “low enthalpy”). With the recent technological developments, it is now possible, through particular instruments known as heat pumps, to use the heat of the Earth even when temperatures are not particularly high (12 – 14 °C). This has brought about a new and important step forward in geothermics: with these new systems, it is in fact possible to obtain sufficient energy for a family’s everyday heating and warm water consumption, in any place of the Earth, with any geological or climatic condition. The energetic possibilities of this new technology are huge and potentially unlimited.
Special reports
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4 November 2009
Ecological house
At present, it is more and more difficult to assure the comfort standard...
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
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18 May 2011
Artificial photosynthesis
The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature...
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
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18 January 2016
Ten years of oil demand
Eni has recently published the 14th edition of the 2015 World Oil and Gas Review...
10 September 2020
A simple and ingenious invention
There are objects so simple and ordinary that we forget their existence when we don't need them. Their presence is…
17 March 2020
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The unstoppable growth of renewable sources continues…
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4 November 2009
Ecological house
At present, it is more and more difficult to assure the comfort standard...
-
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
18 May 2011
Artificial photosynthesis
The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature...
-
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
-
4 November 2009
Ecological house
At present, it is more and more difficult to assure the comfort standard...
-
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
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An artificial geyser
Electric and thermal power produced from geothermal energy depend on the existence of underground infiltrations...
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
Porto Marghera Hydrogen Park
In Porto Marghera (Venice), the Hydrogen Park was created. It is the biggest centre in the world for hydrogen production...
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Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
The “wave-swallowing” dragon
Wave Dragon, that swallows waves and generates electricity is a plant...
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Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
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16 May 2011
An artificial geyser
Electric and thermal power produced from geothermal energy depend on the existence of underground infiltrations...
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
-
Porto Marghera Hydrogen Park
In Porto Marghera (Venice), the Hydrogen Park was created. It is the biggest centre in the world for hydrogen production...
Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
-
14 June 2011
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
16 May 2011
The “wave-swallowing” dragon
Wave Dragon, that swallows waves and generates electricity is a plant...
-
An artificial geyser
Electric and thermal power produced from geothermal energy depend on the existence of underground infiltrations...
-
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
-
Porto Marghera Hydrogen Park
In Porto Marghera (Venice), the Hydrogen Park was created. It is the biggest centre in the world for hydrogen production...