It seems like about three million of you have asked me to explain how a geothermal system works. Well, maybe not three million, but it’s a bunch of you and I’m honored that I have the opportunity to do it. Now you’ve probably already figured out that I’m not smart enough to be real technical, but I do have some common sense. So I will use a common-sense approach to explain how the most efficient heating and cooling system available today can help you.

Actually you could get the Oct. 25, 1948, issue of Life magazine and get a great explanation. That’s correct, 1948. Geothermal units are not new, but it has only been in recent years that they’ve gained in popularity. It just takes awhile for adults to embrace new ideas, especially if they cost more money. Notice that I said adults. When I show high school students how you can spend $50 more per month on installing a geothermal unit and save $75 per month on your utility bill, they simply say “cool.” No discussion or argument. They would take it in a minute.

OK, OK – here’s how it works. All energy comes from the sun. Mr. Sunshine has provided a lot of BTUs for a lot of years and Mother Earth has absorbed and stored that energy. A closed-loop geothermal system simply removes those BTUs from Mother Earth in the winter and gives them back in the summer.

At depths of five feet or more, the earth temperature remains close to 57 degrees, as evidenced by a cave’s temperature. This temperature varies only slightly across the United States.

There are two basic ways to install a geothermal unit. If digging a trench is difficult or if space is limited, geothermal contractors drill holes into the ground vertically to install small-diameter polyethylene pipe. If digging a horizontal trench is feasible, the pipe is installed in a horizontal trench.

A very small pump then circulates water from the earth to the geothermal unit and back to the ground in the closed-loop pipe. Actually, geothermal is not the best name for this unit. A better name is ground-coupled heat pump or water-to-air heat pump. As you learned in my last newsletter, a heat pump doesn’t create heat, it just moves heat from one location to another using a compressor. Example: A window air conditioner blows cool air inside and hot air outside. If you turn the air conditioner around, it will blow hot air inside and cool air outside.

As it circulates 57-degree water in the winter, the geothermal unit, using the compressor to remove heat from the water, provides 105-degree air into the house. As the water goes back to the ground loop, it immediately starts absorbing BTUs from the earth.

In the summer, a reversing valve simply reverses the process and the compressor pumps BTUs into the ground loop.

The water returns to the earth and immediately starts cooling off again. It’s all about heat transfer. Here’s another example — a blacksmith heats a horseshoe to red hot. To cool it, he doesn’t wave the horseshoe into the air. Instead, he simply dips it in water. It cools off a lot faster and takes a lot less energy.

I have been responsible for the installation of thousands of geothermal units and I have had no disappointed customers. My wife and I have had geothermal heating and cooling for 18 years and we simply would not have any other system.

Geothermal gives good hot air in the winter and really cold air in the summer and uses less energy than any other central heating and cooling system. So don’t be a tightwad. Buy the best there is – you, your family, and your house deserve it.

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There has been an ongoing debate pertaining to the pros and cons of geothermal energy. Before we can begin to discuss the advantages and disadvantages, we need to have a clear understanding of what exactly geothermal energy is.

4,000 miles below the Earth’s surface is incredibly hot. It is thought to be over 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. While this temperature is extremely dangerous and must be avoided, if you were to drill about 3 or 4 miles below the Earth’s surface, you can find a hot rock that is far less dangerous, and it is at only 300 to 400 Fahrenheit. This rock and heat can be used as a constant source of heat but would prove to be very expensive.

Now while drilling and using this hot rock can be extremely expensive, there are other alternatives. In some places, only a few hundred feet below the surface there are areas that have combined this hot rock and underground water to produce hot water streams. This is the most economic source of heat below the earth and can be used in a number of ways. The heat can be used to heat homes, businesses and even run large farms or provide energy for greenhouses.

The constant source of geothermal energy comes with a number of benefits and a number of concerns. These pros and cons mostly relate to environmental issues, overall cost and reliability.

In terms of environmental effects, the impact of geothermal energy has more benefits than disadvantages. Geothermal facilities do not emit any emissions and on the whole, these factories take up far less space than any gas plants that are used for the same process. This is because the facilities do not require any underground pipelines to distribute fuel. Essentially geothermal energy is a universal contributor to a cleaner, safer and healthier environment.

On top of the environmental benefits, geothermal plants are not only more efficient but are also very reliable. The system is much simpler all around and there are a lot less problems that can occur in maintaining the facility. There is also no waste disposal and transport of fuel required to run the factory and produce energy.

The main con when discussing geothermal energy is the overall cost. The start up cost for geothermal power plants is quite substantial and this is the main argument against the energy source. However the truth is that this initial cost is often compensated for rather quickly as operation costs are extremely low in comparison to other sources of energy. The costs of drilling and maintaining these plants are also decreasing steadily.

The technology used for geothermal energy is constantly improving and geothermal plants are becoming more readily available. There is no denying the technology involved and once we continue to lower the overall cost, there will be no limit to the benefits that we can take advantage of through the use of geothermal energy.

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A quick increase in the population of ecological companies has been noticed following the rising product requests of the organic society. Several green businesses assist the environment by making products that lessens our energy demands. Some of these companies offer alternative energy methods like solar energy, wind power and other services by the geothermal industry.

Geothermal power production facility throughout the world rose between years 2000 to 2005, involving about 0.2% of the entire world established power production facility. The Ground-Source Heat Pump, more popularly known as the Geothermal Heat Pump or basically geo-exchange, is the quickest rising geothermal appliance these days. It is exceedingly resourceful renewable energy machinery that is widely accepted in both commercial and residential buildings, with more that a million global installations by the year 2005.

Geothermal Heat Pumps are utilized for space cooling and heating, including water heating too. This geothermal industry equipment depends on the reality that the ground has a moderately constant temperature all through the year, more humid that the air on top of it throughout winter and colder in summer. Ground-source heat pump methods function like two electrical devices, an air conditioner and a heating system but use about 50% less electricity than most usual cooling or heating systems.

Geothermal technology is appropriate for incorporated local energy systems, country electrification and mini-grid purposes, particularly in dispensed generation methods, adding to nationwide network applications. It is being presented as a provincial resource, uniting the use of renewable power resources in conjunction with ecological benefits.

Geothermal power is enclosed in the heated ground with rocks and liquid filling the pores and cracks in the earth’s outer layer. It can be collected in two days, straight usage of steam or hot water for room heating or manufacturing use like thermal baths, hot springs, aquaculture and to electricity power plants. Direct little temperature usage take up about double the power facility as is employed for power production.

Direct usage of geothermal heat has been observed for already a thousand decades. The main direct use function nowadays are ground source heat pump installations for room heating, currently approximated to go above five hundred thousand and are the topmost in terms of universal facility and third in productivity.

Geothermal energy is generated by using any of the fundamental technologies it has. Dry steam electricity plants making use of dry steam methods were the first among the many geothermal industry plants to be constructed. They make use of the vapor from the geothermal tank as it present from wells and course it straightly through turbines or generators to create electricity. These days most widespread types in the geothermal industry include flash steam plants. They utilize water at high temperatures being pumped below high pressure to the generation apparatus outside. Upon reaching the generation apparatus, the pressure is abruptly decreased, permitting some of the heated water to change or “flash” into vapor.

Being in the geothermal industry with geothermal power assignments calls for high principal investment for examination, making wells and plant installations, but have low operating expenses because of the low secondary charge of oil. Investment returns are not attained as faster as with inexpensive fossil fuel electricity plants, but longer term profitable benefits accumulate from the usage of this native fuel supply.

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Geothermal heating provides many benefits especially to homes and buildings. The fact that the energy it uses comes from nature makes it very appealing to homeowners. And with a renewable source that will never go out of supply, it incurs less operational costs compared to any other type of heating system available in the market today.

The term geothermal actually pertains to two Greek words, “gheo” meaning earth and “thermal” which means heat. Geothermal energy is formed deep in the earth’s core where temperatures can reach more than 6,000 degrees Celsius, hot enough to melt even a solid rock. Temperatures below the earth’s surface are constant all year round the reason why geothermal energy is very suitable for heating and cooling homes and other closed infrastructures.

In the olden days, geothermal energy was used in some countries in hot springs that served as places where people can take a bath for recreation or for medical healing. In fact, it was already known in the ancient times such as during the Roman period that geothermal water notably in hot springs has positive therapeutic effects on humans. It is even believed that it can help heal skin diseases.

In assessing the effects of geothermal energy considering its various applications, it can be seen that it has no negative impact on the environment or less, if at all. Use of geothermal heating systems, for instance, emits no fumes and the absence of fans makes them less noisy. Perhaps the only environmental problem that can occur when installing geothermal heating or power system is the digging up of your lawn when pipes are being buried underground. This type of home heating project usually involves closed loop systems that need to be installed underneath the soil.

Apart from this installation of a home geothermal heating system, only a large project has a potential of causing some damage to the environment. One example is the generation of electricity from superheated water. This project entails the drilling of the ground to release the steam being generated at the interface of underground water deposits and magma.

Although the drilling process may already cause damage, the construction procedure to assemble the huge equipment that will be used to generate power has a more adverse environmental effect. Since the areas where much steam occurs are normally situated in remote and rugged places, a road may need to be built in order to bring the needed machinery. Several professionals take part in the process and environmental consultants are often hired to obtain the necessary permits for such a major project.

Another project involving geothermal heating that can impact the environment pertains to the open discharge systems used near lakes or ponds. Since water is a good conductor of heat, some companies opt to locate their facilities near bodies of water. However, there are laws that require firms using this system to prove at the local, county or state level that no harm is being done to the environment by letting discharges from the system seep into the watershed or by lowering the water’s oxygen.

Overall though, geothermal heating is environment friendly and beneficial to humans thus it remains a popular choice among homeowners and builders as well.

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Most people are not aware of geothermal energy, how it works, and the role it will play in our energy future. Although it is one of the lesser known renewable energy sources it is still a viable alternative. In both the Philippines and Iceland nearly a quarter of all energy produced is geothermal electricity. These countries have shown that such systems are completely feasible and in fact quite efficient.

Electricity is generated by extracting water from underground which has been heated by magma. This water is then run next to pipes containing a fluid with a lower boiling point than the water. The water causes the fluid to boil turning it into a vapor which then powers turbines. These turbines are the source of geothermal electricity which is then used to power homes and businesses.

Here are a few geothermal energy facts:

Advantages of Geothermal Power
Only fuel is heated underground water thus its emission free Constant energy ensures large capacities can be met Heat extraction is negligible thus unending/sustainable energy source Land usage is extremely small Scalable depending on demand for geothermal electricity

Disadvantages of Geothermal Power
Vapor fluid is corrosive and hard to manage Fluid is kept at low temperature limiting heat engine production Small amount of carbon dioxide / sulfur emission Location could cool down after years of use depending of water reserve

Even though it isn’t as well known as a lot of the other renewable energy sources the future is bright for this innovative and efficient method of harnessing the power of nature to do work. Some technological advances in turbines could make these power plants even more efficient in the future.

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Geothermal energy sector is one of the fastest developing renewable energy sectors in the world. According to the latest reports global geothermal capacity has increased by more than 20% in the last five years, and there are many new countries that have showed interest for adding geothermal power to their energy portfolios.

Since our planet is in the constant state of producing inner heat geothermal energy can be harnessed in many different places across the globe, though the best places for harnessing geothermal resources are still areas near tectonic plates because these areas have maximum heat due to the very expressed volcanic activity.

The more geothermal energy this world use to satisfy its energy needs the better because this will also mean less fossil fuels. Sadly, geothermal power still needs to work on its cost-competitiveness with fossil fuels to really make the difference. Drilling costs are usually the ones that add the most to total costs but there are some promising technologies like EGS (Enhanced geothermal system)) that will perhaps decrease these high capital costs in years to come, and make this technology more competitive in terms of costs with fossil fuels.

The United States lead the way in totally installed geothermal power capacity with 3,086 MW of installed geothermal capacity, followed by countries like Philippines, Indonesia and Mexico.

It is also good to see that geothermal power is also increasing in popularity in Europe, where beside Italy some other countries like for instance Great Britain, France and Germany have also shown increased interest in new geothermal energy projects.

Word “geothermal” could therefore be weighing much more in years to come.

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For millions of years, the Earth has contained super-heated waters at various levels of its surface. The process is known as geothermal heating, and it is a continual and ongoing activity.? These waters escape through steam vents and geysers on a regular basis. Because such waters are available on a predictable schedule, humans have been actually using them for centuries. The ancient Romans and Chinese, as well as Native Americans in the United States would all put the waters to use for cooking, bathing and heating. Today it is not uncommon to find a geothermal powered home in almost any community.

The first thing to note is that while there are massive power plants using geothermal energy to spin enormous turbines, providing electricity to homes and buildings connected to their grid, a geothermal powered home is actually one that will only be heated and cooled via this technology. In order for a home to receive all of its electrical supplies from a geothermal system, the building would need to exist within the immediate area of a geothermal power plant. Currently, the majority of these plants must be located within areas of geothermal activity, meaning along major plate boundaries of the Earth’s crust.

Geothermal heating and cooling simply use the existing heat or cold rather than producing results through any sort of combustion or electrical activities. A geothermal powered home will employ a system containing a pump and two different subsystems that will either pump hot air out of the building and into the ground or pull heat stored in the ground back into a building during the cold months.

These subsystems will generally be referred to as the “connection” and the “distribution” systems. While one will absorb or distribute heat or cold, the other removes the heat and forces it back into the building via the pumps. This is a very simplified explanation of geothermal heating for a home or business, but the best way to understand them is to see that they require only the installation of the subsystems and pumps to use ambient air as a way of creating home heating and cooling. Many newer systems also produce some domestic hot water as well.

Any geothermal heating will be a renewable and clean energy. The power plants entirely eliminate the chances for acid rain and environmental pollutants of any kind, and the geothermal powered home will be one that can exist entirely “off the grid”. This means that the Earth as well as the Sun are reliable sources for energy production.

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More people are talking today about how to save fuel and how to find more energy efficient ways to do the things we need to do every day. Geothermal heat and energy are one revolutionary way to use the natural energy that’s in the earth to power our homes and buildings. In addition to being more energy efficient, geothermal heat helps reduce global warming and helps contribute to the goal of geothermal exchange.

If you’re thinking about using geothermal energy for yourself, then it’s important to know how it works so you can know for sure if it’s right for you. The easiest way to explain is that geothermal heating works with the use of pumps. Underneath the frost line of the earth’s surface, the ground will always stay at a certain temperature. This is usually right around 57 degrees. This is a good temperature for the heat pumps. The geothermal heating works by circulating the water in an underground loop through this natural part of the earth. The loop is called a heat exchanger. Next it is transported through water to air heat pumps that have located in the building and the heated air is pumped out to warm the rooms.

For this heat exchanger to work it is buried about 150-300 feet into the earth’s surface. It is made from a high density polyethylene type of pipe which can withstand the temperatures and the conditions underground. The constant temperature of the earth will help balance the temperature of the air that is being cycled through.

Heat and cool air is pumped in and out of the home and through the geothermal piping as needed to keep your home or building at the temperature you desire. This is a very safe and natural way to control the heating and cooling in your home or office building. Geothermal methods can be used no matter how small or large the building.

Other benefits to a geothermal heating and cooling system is that they are easy to use. Many people assume since it is a new thing that it will be complicated or difficult to use but this is not the case. Buildings that choose to use it will not need a boiler operator or chiller technician and any building or home that uses it can save from 25-40% on their energy efficiency.

Over the years that geothermal has been in use and tested, the design of the geothermal systems has been improved upon more and more. It continues to advance over time and as more people become aware of it and begin to use it, too. This helps our environment and can help you save a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills.

Now that you understand more about how geothermal heating and cooling works, you can see why it could be a great choice for you if you want to save on electric bills while helping your environment at the same time.

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There are three options for you to choose from when purchasing a heat pump: Geothermal, which uses the heat from a few feet below ground or water; Electrical Air Source, which utilizes the air from the outside, heats it and then pumps it into your home; and Dual Fuel, which utilizes both gas and electricity to heat your home.

Geothermal heat pumps are considered to be some of the most efficient units. This is because they use the natural heat of the earth which is located a few-feet below the surface of the earth. At this level, the ground temperatures are pretty steady and depending on where you are located range between forty five degrees and seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit. The geothermal heat pump takes advantage of this heat by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger. These systems are also able to cool your home and even provide you with hot water if they are equipped to do so. These systems last longer, are quieter and require little maintenance. They are more efficient because they use the ground heat.

There are also dual-source heat pumps that combine both the geothermal heat sources as well as utilize electricity. These have higher efficiency ratings than your air source electrical heat pump units, but are not as efficient as the standard geothermal system. The main advantage of the dual units is that they are cheaper to install and work almost as well as the standard unit. However, on your standard unit it is estimated that the lifespan for the inside components is 25 years while the ground loops may last for fifty years.

There are two other types of heat pumps you can choose from as well, although they are not going to be as efficient as the geothermal unit. These units are still going to work well and save you money in the long run though. Another type of dual-fuel unit is one that uses both electric and gas. These units are good for those locations that experience the occasional drop below freezing and require a more powerful source of fuel. These units switch between electric and gas.

Air source electrical heat pumps use only electricity and come in several sizes. There are units large enough to heat your whole home and there are units small enough to heat just a room. The size of unit you choose will depend on what your heating requirements are. Typically, these units are used only in those locations that experience the occasional drop in temperature, but have a mild winter overall.

Either unit that you choose will assist you in saving on your electricity bills. If you want to go with the “greenest” unit possible, then you will probably want to consider using the geothermal unit. It is estimated that 40,000 of these units are being installed in the United States each year and that the savings in energy bills will pay for the unit in five to ten years and the unit itself could last you a lifetime.

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Geothermal energy is often viewed as a relatively new form of alternative energy. In truth, the use of geothermal energy stretches far back into the past.

Looking To The Past Of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is literally, “earth heat”. This type of energy’s name comes from two Greek words: “geo” meaning earth, and “therme”, which means heat. While it may seem that the use of geothermal energy is a relatively new idea, it is actually an ancient practice. Many different cultures have used geothermal power to their advantage, dating back to some of the Earth’s earliest civilizations.

In order to use geothermal energy, the energy source itself must be tapped into. Geothermal energy comes from reserves of water located in the Earth’s layer of magma. Magma, otherwise known as molten rock, is a super hot substance that springs directly from the Earth’s core, which is a scalding 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Magma heats the reserves of water located in its midst to very high temperatures, around 700 degrees Fahrenheit. These geothermal reservoirs, as they are known, can be drilled into or can escape naturally through cracks in the Earth’s crust. These natural formations create such places on Earth as hot springs and geysers.

Geothermal energy can be traced back to 10,000 years ago when Native Americans used geothermal water found in hot springs to cook and for use as medicine. The geothermal energy found in hot springs was also used by the Romans. The ancient city of Pompeii used geothermal energy to heat homes. Romans also were known to use geothermal water for its medicinal properties; such as in the treatment of skin and eye diseases. Romans and other ancient civilizations also used the soothing geothermal waters found in hot springs for relaxation and natural bathing places. In more recent times, France started using this type of energy in the 1960′s to heat their homes. More than 200,000 homes in France are now heated by geothermal water.

Scientists and other researchers are constantly coming up with new ways to use the Earth’s latent powers. While geothermal energy has not yet shown us all it can do, it is evident that many cultures have enjoyed its power already. From the comfort of a hot springs bath to the warmth of a geothermal water heated home, the Earth has just begun to use the energy contained within its crust.

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One of the lesser known renewable energy sources geothermal electricity is created by using the heat contained underground by magma. This magma heats rocks and sometimes travel directly through water sources below the surface heating it up. We extract this water and run it through pipes which surround another set of pipes that contains a liquid with a low boiling point. This causes the liquid to turn into a vapor which can then be used to run steam turbines. Here are some interesting geothermal energy facts for your edification.

No fuel is consumed in the process of creating geothermal electricity and so it’s emission free.

Multiple types of power plants exist which include; binary cycle power plants, hot dry rock geothermal energy, dry steam plants, flash steam plants, direct heat, and geothermal heat pump. The most common being binary cycle. Large capacity for generation since the energy source (hot water) is constantly supplied. Heat extracted from below ground is extremely small although it could potentially be used up after millions of years. Power plants don’t take up very much space since the main components are underground pumping the water. The fluids used that have low boiling points are corrosive and therefore take extra maintenance and care when handling. Carbon dioxide and sulfur can be emitted as a byproduct of geothermal electricity due to being present in the water. Iceland and the Philippines make the most use of geothermal energy and it creates around 25% of their electricity. They are by far the leaders in this area of energy production.

There is a lot to learn about if you want to completely understand this topic but hopefully the above has taught you some of the basics and more interesting things to know. Some things to look into more would be the different types of water reservoirs that exist which are tapped and some more specific information about the above listed methods of geothermal electricity generation.

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As our population grows and the earth’s resources are strained like never before, many people have questions about geothermal systems but are not sure about some very fundamental concerns.  Hopefully, this brief article can open your eyes to the potential of geothermal system.

How does geothermal work?

The basic principle is that a geothermal heat pump extracts heat from the earth during the winter and pipes into your home.   This processed is reversed during the summer.  The heat pump pulls the heat from your house and pumps it into the earth.  This process is similar to your refrigerator.  If you reach behind it you will feel a lot of heat.  This heat has been removed from inside the refrigerator and pumped to the outside air.

The heart of a geothermal unit is the system of pipes buried underground to facilitate this heat exchange.

Are there benefits to using geothermal energy?

Yes.  Geothermal energy is clean.  There is no need for fossil fuels – which reduces our dependence on foreign oil. It is also a renewable resource like solar or wind.

Plus, it is a very cool conversation piece for visitors!

Am I in an area where geothermal can be used?

Unless you live in a very odd environment like the arctic, then you are almost certainly in area where a geothermal heat pump can be unitized productively.  That said, there may be local consideration that prevent the installation.  An installer would have to evaluate your specific site.  

How long does a geothermal system last?

Geothermal heat pumps are very durable. Since the system does not have elaborate complicated parts and is based on a simple principle, your system should last many, many decades.

Would my geothermal system be loud?

Fortunately geothermal systems are very quiet unlike a standard HVAC system.

Will I save money using geothermal?

Yes!  It is not uncommon to have heating bills cut by 20% – 50%.  However, you will need to remain in your home for several years to recoup the installation costs in annual savings. If you plan on moving soon, a geothermal unit is probably does not make sense from an economic prospective.  In general, it will take five to ten years to recoup the installation cost.

There is much more to a geothermal system but these answers should help you get started thinking about whether a system is right for you.  The environment might just say “Thank You!”

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Today’s geothermal systems outperform the best gas technology, by an average of 36% in heating mode and 43% in cooling mode. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and most cost-effective space conditioning systems available.

There is no doubt that geothermal heat pumps are the low hanging fruit of energy efficiency, which is a bit like picking apples or oranges off a tree. The simple part of picking fruit is the easy-to-reach apples or oranges. Once these have been picked it gets harder, reaching on tippy-toes, until we finally start dragging the ladder around. Geothermal heat pumps are low-hanging-fruit, and utilizing this resource really is a no-brainer.

Over the last 50 years heat pumps have evolved from backyard experiments designed by enthusiasts into mainstream technology. Not that this is really new technology as the Romans many centuries ago heated their baths using a similar concept. Of course the systems these days are much more efficient, and can deliver between 2.5-4.5 units of heat for every unit of energy consumed. This means they are generally 1.4 times more energy efficient than a gas fired boiler.

Apart from being cost effective, geothermal heat pumps deliver gentle heat to your home without producing any soot at your home or any other toxic exhaust. www.ghp-books.com provides in-depth detail on installation, so you can understand how to make this free energy work for you. With the rebates and grants available to buffer the capital cost, it is a great time to save money on heating and cooling costs, while doing your bit for the environment.

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Geothermal energy is the energy taken from the heat stored inside the earth. This energy has been stored inside the earth from its very origination and even from the solar energy, which is absorbed by the surface of the earth.

Geothermal energy has been widely used today to provide electrical power in countries. Industries have also been using geothermal power to produce industrial heating and other processes needed inside the plants. Geothermal power has been known for its cost – effectiveness, reliability and most importantly, for being environmentally – friendly. However, there are also some setbacks in using this energy source. Although it is known to be natural, it is not found almost anywhere in the earth. Areas which are near the boundaries of the tectonic plates are where the good source of geothermal energy can be found. That result was the result of earlier days’ study. Today, however, studies have shown that the area source of geothermal power has widen and expanded.

There has been many theories and assumptions that the earth’s supply of geothermal power is more than enough to supply our needs for even a hundred year. However, today, as everybody may have noticed, geothermal energy is still not our main source of power. So, what could be the reason for this? Actually, the energy from beneath the earth is never that easy to get. Although it may sound like a regular and normal drilling is all that we just need, several manpower and machineries are needed to ensure that the drilling will not cause any damage to the earth’s surface. Therefore, getting the natural energy from underneath is costly, that no investors would risk their money for it.

So, how does the interior of the earth produce electricity? Technically, the heat inside the earth is something like six thousand degrees centigrade. That hotness would be more than enough to melt rocks. The extent of the use of the energy from underneath the earth depends largely on how hot it is. Basically, the energy is taken from the steam produced when water is being pumped inside. The hotter it is, the more steam is being produced. Geothermal energy is considered not only as a natural source of power, but it also falls under the renewable sources of energy category. It is considered renewable because once the hole has been made, the rain pours into it, reproducing the steam over again.

In the early years, the steam being produced from geothermal power is only used for hot spas and hot springs. It has helped more the tourism industry more than any other industries. As years passed, however, the people have discovered more efficient and useful usage of the steam and the energy being produced.

Is producing geothermal power then safe for the environment? While the answer may not be something that is very much acceptable, you may be relieved with the fact that as a part of the social responsibility of the suppliers and developers, they try to block the emission of harmful gases to the air, thus preventing any damage to the people’s health.

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Geothermal heating is an idea that has been around for a long time. But just what is it and how does it actually work?

Steam created from deep underground heat sources or natural hot springs have been used as a clean energy heating source for years.

If you have a dog, you have probably noticed how they like to dig a hole in the ground to lie in on hot days. Even just that few inches into the ground is cooler than the surrounding air.

They instinctively know what many home renovators are just discovering. Just below the surface, the ground maintains a steady temperature year round. Usually this temperature is cooler than the air temperature on hot days and warmer on cold days.

As energy costs rise, more and more people are tapping into this simple fact to use this renewable energy source to heat and cool their homes. There are numerous advantages.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency

Geothermal heating and cooling is the most cost effective, energy efficient and environmentally clean heating and cooling system available in the United States. Replacing a normal HVAC system with a geothermal system results in savings that are the equivalent of planting 750 trees, 3/4 an acre of rain forest or not driving your car 140,000 miles. The average house creates more greenhouse gas emissions than the average car. Currently more than 9% of our countries energy usage in the United States is used for heating and cooling our homes. These alternative energy systems are at least three times more efficient than fossil fuel systems.

This alternative energy source can be used to create significant cost savings for the average homeowner and generate huge benefits for our environment.

So how does it work?

The earth is a vast reservoir of thermal energy from the sun and the molten lava at our planets core. A geothermal system just transfers this heat from the ground into the home in winter and the heat from your home into the ground in the summer.

Because heat is being transferred rather than created the systems operate at much higher efficiencies than normal fossil fueled systems.

With rising energy costs and growing interest in clean energy using this alternative energy source can not only save you money now and for years to come, it will create added value to your biggest investment, your home.

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When it comes to geothermal energy, Australia may not hold the top spot in the utilization of this renewable energy, but the potential is certainly there. As it has with other renewables, Australia has turned its attention to geothermal energy as a means to reach certain energy generation goals by the end of the year. These goals somewhat mirror the guidelines set by the Kyoto Protocol.

Why isn’t geothermal energy as prolific in Australia as in other parts of the world? One reason is that the geothermal energy found in much of Australia is not what is considered “wet.” Wet geothermal is found in areas that contain volcanic activity in which super heated water lies near or on the surface of the Earth. The steam created by this water rotates turbines that generate electricity. Because Australia is not volcanically active, binary power plants are used. As you would expect from something that is binary, it is a two-step process. Unlike wet systems in which the water is already hot enough to produce steam that rotates a power turban, water is injected into hot granite to create steam in a binary system. In Australia, this granite lies 3-5 km below the surface. A heat exchanger transfers the energy from the heated fluid to what is known as a working fluid (such as ammonia). The working fluid vaporizes in the exchanger and is then expanded in a turbine, generating electricity. As you might guess, the multiple steps involved in a binary geothermal system are costlier than in a wet system. Australian authorities have stated, however, that geothermal energy will be cost competitive with that of carbon-based energies.

Geodynamics, a company based in Australia, may have found an area in South Australia that would lessen the cost of geothermal energy generation. They claim that the Cooper Basin contains granite measured to be the hottest rocks ever recorded on the planet. And because the overlaying rocks that act as an insulation blanket have been found to be fractured, pressurized water inside them could flow to the surface and the heat would then be extracted to power turbines. The water would then return to the incredibly hot rocks below, allowing the process to start again. Because this water is naturally occurring, the need for outside water sources is eliminated, lowering the cost of geothermal energy production.

As further exploration of geothermal energy in Australia is conducted, more hot spots are sure to be found and this renewable energy will become method of energy generation for years to come.

Water 4 Gas

Determining which type of geothermal heat pump is right for your home depends on the local climate and soil conditions, as well as the available land. Geothermal heaters work by absorbing heat from the ground and transferring it indoors using buried pipes will with water or refrigerant. The four types of geothermal or ground source heat pumps are horizontal, vertical, lake/pond and open loop. The first three are closed-loop systems, in which the refrigerant or water used in the heat transfer process circulates repeatedly through pipes; the last system is open-loop, in which the water used in heat transfer is returned to its source after the heat has been extracted from it.

The horizontal system is best for those who have plenty of available land, since the pipes used in heat transfer take up a lot of land area. However, an alternative method of pipe installation, called Slinky since it loops the pipe around the trench, takes up less space.

The vertical system, on the other hand, uses a narrower trench since the pipe is laid vertically in loops. This method of heat pump installation is used when the available land area is small or when the soil is too shallow for trenches.

If the property has a pond or a lake nearby, the pipe can be run from the house to the water source and is looped in coils at least eight feet underneath the surface to prevent the water or refrigerant in the pipes from freezing.

Finally, if your property has a well or other source of clean water, you can install an open loop geothermal heat pump system, in which water is taken from a well, circulated through the system, and then is discharged back to its source.

Water 4 Gas