What creates more energy?wind, geothermal or solar if you spent the same money?

Question

If you were spending the same amount of money on each type of electricity provider, which would create the most amount of energy?
A wind turbine
Solar Panels
Geothermal

Answer 1

A wind turbine.

Answer 2

Solar is the way to go.
To harness "electrical" power from a geothermal source or from a windmill you invest a ton of money in infrastructure and upkeep.

Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight to electricity with an overall low efficiency but once you place them you can leave them and store the electricity or use it immediately. The initial investment is high but the low maintenance and cost to own are worth the investment.

Windmills are a maintenance nightmare, they are expensive to build and expensive to upkeep. Plus you need wind, and all the infrastructure needed to store and convert to AC usable power.

Geothermal requires a heat to electricity conversion that would be a higher efficiency compared to solar panels but it would also have a higher initial cost and upkeep fee associated with it.

Solar also has a larger industrial backing, some major energy names are associated with Photovoltaic cells.

Answer 3

There are many different types of Geothermal Energy. If you want to do an appropriate comparison of technologies, the three should be concidered by how much "electric" they can generate. Also, Solar Panels can create heat or electric. For this analysis, lets just concider the electric generated. Of the technologies you mentioned, geothermal (Hot Dry Rock) generates the most energy most economically. It can create 1000 kW (kilo-Watts) for approximately $40. See the attached page for a graphical comparison. The chart conciders the type of generation by cost of equipment, efficiency of generation, and cost of fuel (for the fossil fuels comparison).

Answer 4

Solar panels are cheaper and easier to install. It can even be portable and works every place on earth (off course require day light).
Offcourse wind turbine and geothermal provide continous source compared to solar, but a large installations and maintainance is difficult.
I think, for the same money Solar panels yield more energy.

Answer 5

A wind turbine. Even a field of wind turbines will still create more energy. Placing these wind turbines near shores will catch more wind but there are areas in the US where they placed them near the desert. The reason is hot air rises faster near deserts which is quickly replaced by cold air, thus producing strong winds to circulate through the area. At first, it wil be a liitle expensive because you have to invest in constructing the structures, equipment and generators. After a few years, you will be able to get back your investment because the maintenace for wind turbines will be lesser as years go by which would mean less expenses. In the long run, less expense but same amount of energy.

Answer 6

for this question solar and wind need a huge space and there must be constant wind and sunlight.
for your question which creates more energy, my answer is geothermal as the hot rock under the earth surface give enough of energy to power a large coal powerplant where the wind power and or solar energy power station which required a very large amount of land to create some energy to maintain the Peak energy usage.
In some country like australia, Coal fire plant is used for bulk electricitty and the wind and gas turbine is for the Peak power. As power cannot be stored, and power usage is varry.. therefore we need to use something to backup for peak energy usage. Hope this will be clear.

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

geothermal gets my money... but there's the location factor. Solar and Wind are easier to move around.

Answer 9

They are all very good power sources but I would have to say Wind as number one, Water would be the next one on my list, because of availability only.

Answer 10

depends where you live, china area get geothermal, mountains go for wind, equater(sp) got for solar whats your weather like? and where abouts do you live to apply for planning permission this is before you buy any equipment you would have to spend £300 puts me off

Answer 11

I would say Geothermal