From the Heart of the Earth Our planet, in its dark depths, is hot, very hot. And in some places the heat rises to the surface, creating fascinating phenomena. Volcanoes are the most conspicuous example, but near them you can also find fumaroles, small fissures from which steam escapes at high temperatures. Boraciferous “soffioni,” which violently project water vapor upward, are even more picturesque, while geysers are jets of water and steam that can reach up to 60 meters in height: that’s the equivalent of a 15- to 20-story skyscraper. A day at the spa In prehistoric times our ancestors discovered geothermal springs: these are unusual places where hot or even very hot water rises to the surface. And our ancestors often established their settlements near them, in order to enjoy their warmth: this was an embryonic version of hot springs! Later, ancient civilizations – in particular, the Romans – developed a great love for spas: they built sophisticated spas just about everywhere, but they appreciated the natural version even more. In the nineteenth century, spa resorts became top tourist destinations, and today spending time at a natural spa with friends, whether it be for half a day or a week, is a relaxing activity enjoyed by an increasing number of people. How nice and warm it is in Iceland! It may sound paradoxical, but one of the latest large-scale uses of geothermal heat is actually the most intuitive one, namely heating. The fact of the matter is that, while bringing heat from the springs to homes may seem easy in purely conceptual terms, from a technical point of view is by no means straightforward. Today, thanks to technological progress, it is possible in areas with geothermal activity: in Tuscany, nine municipalities benefit from district heating powered by geothermal energy, for a total of 10,000 homes. The record, however, belongs to Iceland, where vapors from underground heat 95% of homes - and in the land of ice you can’t afford to mess around when it comes to heating! Beer, cheese and ... soccer. But, getting back to Tuscany, the cradle of geothermal energy is now at the forefront, as far as creative uses are concerned. This is particularly true of gastronomic products. A craft brewery in the province of Pisa uses geothermal energy in all stages of production, including fermentation. Tuscany is also famous for its tasty pecorino: this much-appreciated cheese is produced with geothermal heat at a farm in Maremma. In the Larderello area, where the first plant for the industrial use of the Earth's heat was established in 1818, geothermal energy is now recognized as a symbol, and it is deeply embedded (to use and appropriate term!) in local identity. Indeed, it is so important that it has made its way into another key part of Italian life: soccer. In 2005 a team from the area took the name Geotermica (“Geothermal”). For now it plays in the minor leagues, but it is not impossible to imagine that one day it could be playing against major Italian teams like Juventus. An original vacation And in the United States, Yellowstone Park, which was established in 1872, is the world’s oldest national park. It is home to "Old Faithful" which is probably the most famous geyser in the world. More recently, geysers have also been exploited elsewhere for tourism purposes, especially in New Zealand and the afore-mentioned Iceland. Today geothermal energy is a tourist attraction in all its manifestations, and not just natural ones: in some cases, the geothermal power plants themselves open their doors to visitors. Italy even has a Geothermal Museum, and it’s frequented by tourists and enthusiasts. Where is it located? In Larderello, of course. Clean energy for all The use of geothermal energy for electricity generation dates back to 1904, when Piero Ginori Conti in Tuscany lit five light bulbs thanks to a generator powered by geothermal heat. A few years later, in 1911, the world's first geothermal power plant for commercial electricity production was established in Larderello. Today, geothermal electricity continues to grow globally: according to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), total installed capacity reached 15,026 MW in 2023, an increase of 43% with respect to 2012. These figures are still low compared to other sources (geothermal accounts for just 1.13% of total electricity generation from renewables), but technological innovation is paving the way for its more widespread use. It has virtually unlimited potential.
