Geothermal Energy
NMyTree
Posts: 2,374
Hmmmm...... who knows, could be an interesting adition to energy providing solutions. Not the whole solution, but a small addition.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/070122_geothermal.html
http://www.livescience.com/environment/070122_geothermal.html
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geothermal energy has been around for at least 25 years in a practical homeowner form. once again; nobody listens.
There is a geothermal plant near Mammoth Lakes, CA. It's a ski area in the Eastern High Sierra located on a dormant volcano that I have been going to since I was born. The facilities generate enough power for approximately 40,000 homes. The power is sold to Southern California Edison under long-term contracts.
http://www.mammothpacific.com/
for the homeowner; you can dig 2 wells; pump the water from one; run it through a heat pump; and replace it back into the ground via the second well. you can heat and cool your home this way.
but how much energy are you consuming to run the heat pump? Would it really be worth it in the end, how much $$ would you save, considering the cost to install the wells and the cost of the pump?
The payback on a geothermal heating system takes about 20 years. They are expensive to put in, but after 20 years, you start saving. However, the more common it becomes, the cheaper it will get... also, with rising fossil fuel costs, you might make your money back quicker.
some heat pumps are VERY efficient... It all depends on how much you want to spend on installing the system. Their efficiencies are rated with a "SEER" number.
13 SEER is conisdered standard these days (in NY anyway)... The higher you go, the more you save in the long run.
It would be nice to tap into this source, hell, I wouldn't care if it did cost more.
I SELL THESE FOR A LIVING.
HOW WEIRD THAT I COME ACROSS THIS THREAD ON A BOARD I ROUTINELY VISIT WHILST SUPPOSEDLY WORKING!!
The amount of energy you consume depends upon the efficiency of the Heat Pump (some will be less efficient than others just like car engines).
The Heat Pumps that my company supply have a COP of 4.5-1. That means for every kw of electricity purchased to power the pump, you get about 4.5kw of Heat back - so 450% efficient.
Compared to today's Oil prices here in the UK you would save approx 70% on the running costs of heating your home (and hot water for your baths/showers). Given the volatile nature of the Oil market and the geo-political problems with securing that Oil supply you can expect those prices to continue to rise and therefor the differential will increase. (About a 50% saving compared to mains Gas - but again prices are rising - British Gas have imposed a 90% price hike in the last 18 months!).
If putting into an average sized newly built house you would expect to break even on the additional capital cost after about 5 years (Heat Pumps also require no servicing), every year after that you are making money - and reducing your carbon emissions by over 75%.
Over 50% of Swedish homes have Heat Pumps, they are light years ahead of ourselves and the US - our governments need to offer better tarrifs on the cost of electricty supply and grant incentives to steer people away from fossil fuel boilers as opposed to harping on about air travel which contributes only 3% of the worlds carbon emissions.
PM if you wanna buy one - I get £50 commission on every one I sell!!