advantages of geothermal energy

Advantages Of Geothermal EnergyImagine that you arrive home from work on a cold winter day and retrieve your mail. As the stinging icy breeze hits your hands, you pull out your latest energy bill and hope for the best. To your delight, your home energy costs are reasonable even with a harsh winter climate; geothermal energy is one of the most efficient, cost-effective ways to heat your home throughout the year, and that is only one of the advantages of geothermal energy.

Importantly, geothermal energy sources can provide heating and cooling to supplement your traditional home energy system, and are vastly more efficient than traditional systems.

Geothermal energy systems result in up to 50% improvements over traditional heat pumps, resulting in less electricity use, more stable energy regulation and more sustainable environmental practices. Modern geothermal energy systems are highly efficient and require less maintenance given their ingenious, relatively simple design. For homes with existing zone-based heating and cooling, the systems can be fully integrated for a combination of energy savings and comfort.

While the technology has improved rapidly in recent decades, the core engineering insights date back to the 1850s from Lord Kelvin, while scientists in the post-war era developed some of the first modern implementations. A variety of local governments have directly installed the systems to benefit from reduced greenhouse emissions, lower energy costs and more sustainable energy practices. In fact, entire cities in Iceland, such as Reykjavik rely upon geothermal ground systems to provide a substantial part of their heating needs. Although geothermal systems provide less than 1/2% of global energy supplies, they are a growing factor in the green energy movement for their cost and environmental-efficiency in markets across the world.

One of the primary benefits of geothermal technology is its impact on reducing carbon-emissions which contribute to global warming. With vastly improved efficiency standards, geothermal heating sources emit much less pollution than traditional heating and cooling systems, reducing reliance upon fossil fuels. While the environmental benefits are well documented, the economic advantages of the systems are also impressive: geothermal heating systems can help lower energy bills for buildings, homes and direct energy applications with substantial results.

Many of the world’s leading energy producers, such as Chevron, have invested in the technology, recognizing its role in the future of sustainable energy production. In technologically-savvy countries such as Sweden and China, households have rapidly adopted the technology to heat water, homes and buildings. Cities such as Portland rely upon the systems to provide a stable source of municipal energy supply.

Since the core of the earth is heated on a relatively stable basis, energy systems can utilize this consistent temperature to extract energy on a regular basis. The systems can provide both heating and cooling with high levels of efficiency. Both the public and private sector are actively investing in the technology, and estimates from MIT suggest that rapid adoption can produce over 100 GW of energy within the next few decades (source: http://geothermal.inel.gov/publications/future_of_geothermal_energy.pdf).

As energy firms increase the efficiency of the systems and drill deeper to extract even more energy (where the temperatures are higher), the advantages of geothermal energy become a credible alternative to traditional fossil fuels for heating and cooling generation.

To learn more advantages of geothermal energy, Contact us today.

how does geothermal energy work

Often we are asked the question “how does geothermal energy work“?

The Earth’s core provides a steady stream of energy which can be harnessed for powering heating and cooling systems, as well as general energy lines through careful engineering. What is key about geothermal energy is that it’s location-independent: nearly every region in the world has an active source of soil-based heat emanating from the core, and providing an important source of extensive energy.

As the technology expands, a growing number of homes and businesses are turning to geothermal energy sources rather than relying upon the expensive energy from traditional grid lines. Rapid adoption in Europe, Asia and North America owes its growth to vast improvements in geothermal technology around the globe.

Physicists long recognized the potential of ground-source energy to help power and heat a variety of sources. Stemming from the inception of the basic energy transfer technology in the 1940s, many communities have been actively harnessing the power of geothermal energy to provide electricity, heating and cooling. Leading regions which rely on the technology include Sweden, China, Iceland and Western parts of the United States. While the exact implementation of geothermal grids varies, the underlying technology relies on a core set of scientific principles.

Geothermal energy is harnessed through a series of convention systems which transfer heat from the earth’s core into modern energy generators. During the winter months, the constant temperatures in the core provide a heat transfer that helps make for affordable, sustainable sources of natural home heating. The convention occurs through a refrigerant solution which is heated by the ground soil conditions and then returns to the surface where the energy is used to generate energy.

There are various structures used in the process, including a steam cycle which powers a turbine as well as a hybrid system in which the heat is used to warm a secondary liquid that, in turn, provides a source of energy. Depending on the temperature of the soil, the systems may rely upon a heat exchange transfer system.

Large-scale systems that rely upon underground heat to produce steam energy can be found in California and Iceland. In California, there are dozens of geothermal plants producing over 1 Gigawatt of energy. Certain remote parts of Iceland rely almost entirely upon the technology for municipal and residential energy supplies, since importation and extensive grid construction is cost prohibitive. Iceland’s systems rely upon naturally occurring heat in dry rock, springs and steam reservoirs underneath the ground, further enhancing the energy transfer efficiency of the systems in question.

Most residential and commercial applications rely upon ground source heat pumps which connect directly to a building’s heating or cooling system. These technologies transfer energy from the underground heat which is conducted through a refrigerant, resulting in energy transfer that can provide an affordable source of energy regulation throughout the year. As a result, many home owners and commercial property managers supplement their energy systems with grounds source geothermal heat for environmental and financial advantages over the long run. Improving technology has enabled a wide variety of home owners to benefit from the systems as efficiency improves and costs decline.

Hopefully this information has helped answer the question ‘how does geothermal energy work‘, giving you a better understanding of the functionality, why it is better for the environment, and financial benefits. For more information please contact us today!

If you have any questions in regards to how does geothermal energy work, Contact us today.

You can also learn more information by visiting Georgia Air Contractors Geothermal page.

geothermal heat pump installation

Whether you’re buying a new home or looking to improve upon the efficiency of your existing heating and cooling system, a geothermal heat pump installation can help reduce your energy costs.

Both businesses and home owners can vastly benefit from integrating the latest geothermal heat pump technology into their central heating and cooling systems. Before proceeding with the installation of your geothermal heat pump, it’s important to have a professional certified installer to analyze your property. Additional, many local municipalities require a permit to ensure that your installation won’t interfere with existing ground water or other installations.

Proper installation of your geothermal heat pump can have a remarkable impact upon the efficiency improvements from your new unit. Once you have properly evaluated the feasibility of setting up the system based upon soil conditions and water availability, you can begin implementing a geothermal on your property. For homes in particularly difficult climates, the installation process can be arduous; it’s a smart idea to consult with an expert to determine the most efficient installation method.

Additionally, you’ll need to fully factor in the cost of parts, installation and setup for the new system. Many households will need to finance the new system, and should actively seek a provider that is willing to provide reasonable terms on the installation. Don’t attempt to save money by relying upon a lower cost provider or a partially complete job: only fully purchase and install a new system when you’re ready to afford all aspects of the system.

In general, installation of geothermal pumps requires that you evaluate your property with your utility companies and work with a certified installation expert near you. There are several organizations, such as the Ground Source Heat Pump Association, which can provide valuable referral information to ensure your installation is successful. Whether you consult with an expert or hire a contractor, it’s important to understand the installation process.

geothermal heat pump installation

Certified installers will be able to evaluate the structure of your heating and cooling system to determine the most efficient setup for your new geothermal heat pump. Additionally, these energy consultants can help you understand the various heat pump options on the market today. It’s best to install a heat pump during the moderate spring or fall months when the climate is relatively stable and the ground soil is pliable – make sure to schedule your installation and setup ahead of time to take advantage of optimal conditions.

Most heat pump systems rely upon a closed loop polyethylene pipe which is buried in the ground according to the specifics of your soil. Always ensure that the pipes contain an ecologically friendly antifreeze solution to prevent them from cracking during the winter. Importantly, you’ll be integrating the air duct into your home air duct, so it will distribute heat and cooling similar to a traditional central solution. Ensuring a proper installation requires testing of the system, and working with a certified professional can ensure the success of your project. By following best practices, you’ll ensure a successful geothermal heat pump installation.

Interesting in a quote for a geothermal heat pump installation? Contact us today.

ground source heat pump

As the major on-site source of geothermal energy production, a ground source heat pump provides an important source of sustainable energy for tens of thousands of buildings throughout the world.

In parts of Sweden and China, these pumps are in widespread use, heating everything from running water to central air and heating systems.

Efficient energy transfer from the ground allows these systems to actively provide an impressive source of energy that can lower energy bills by up to 50% relative to traditional fossil fuel based systems.

Most commonly, the heat pumps take the form of a ground based tube system which transfers energy, via conduction, to a home central energy system. By integrating with existing home energy regulation systems, it’s much easier to get the full set of benefits from the distribution of the energy. Many homes rely upon the heat transfer to help provide warm and hot water sources in the winter for cooking, bathing and other uses as well.

Many of the systems are up to three times more efficient than traditional methods, and this statistic is amplified even further when you factor in the effect on extreme temperature situations in very cold or warm areas.

Importantly, the ground source pumps can also provide a source of cooling when the relatively stable underground temperature is less than the hot surface. This provides an important source of cooling for hot regions such as the American South and dry parts of Asia. Studies from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have documented the systems can save over 60% of a home’s energy bills during a particularly challenging climate.

This is largely the reason why agencies such as Energy Star and a variety of state governments have rebates and tax advantages for homes and businesses willing to invest in a new ground source heat pump. While making large scale adjustments to alleviate global warming and energy costs may be difficult, heat pumps are a proven source of both energy savings and sustainable natural energy transfer.

Today, there are over ½ million systems installed in the United States alone and the recent stimulus bill provided further tax incentives for home owners to green their energy systems. Estimates suggest that over 100,000 homes will begin to install these systems over the next two years, providing a further source for natural energy savings as developed countries look to reduce their reliance upon the traditional energy grid.

For areas which have particularly high energy costs, such as rural regions and those in extreme conditions, ground source heat pumps are one of the most sustainable sources of energy. As a result, many builders are now integrating heat pumps into new homes, while contractors are actively installing the system in a variety of homes and businesses.

The future growth of the sector will benefit from rebates, improving technologies and the move to modernize homes and businesses. As businesses and families seek to lower their home expenses, investing a new ground source heat pump can provide a wide variety of advantages.

If you would like to know more about how you can take advantage of using a ground source heat pump, Contact us today.

Commercial applications of the technology began in in the early post-war era of the 1940s when various state governments began investigating ways to lower energy bills. Global adoption of the technology has been impressive, with widespread use in Europe, Asia and North America, and a rapidly accelerating adoption curve. With their dual use for heating and cooling, heat pumps benefit from stable underground temperatures throughout the year.

geothermal heat pump

Relative to traditional forms of heating and cooling, geothermal heat pumps are vastly more efficient. Engineers have known for decades that traditional central-air and heating systems installed in most buildings are highly inefficient; geothermal installations can led to exponential improvements in overall energy transfer efficiency, resulting in less overall energy use and improved transfer quality rates.

During particularly extreme temperatures in the winter and summer, geothermal heat pumps retain their core transfer efficiency, allowing for vastly improved efficiency standards during these periods. While the pumps act as a supplemental source of energy regulation in many homes and buildings, improving technology has helped geothermal heat pumps to be responsible for a growing proportion of building energy regulation.

Based upon simple physical principles, geothermal pumps transfer heat from warm to cool areas in the summer, amplifying the natural energy flow, while they reverse the flow during the winter. The relatively stable earth temperatures make for greatly enhanced efficiency by way of a compressed refrigeration cycle. Simply, the system extracts the relatively warmer water during the winter and moves the heat back underground during the summer; the result is that the systems benefit from energy regulation throughout the year. For buildings in difficult climates such as extreme cold or heat, the systems deliver impressive energy efficiency gains which result in lower energy bills throughout the year.

At the core of the technology are mechanisms for ground heat exchange. This exchange occurs through a grounding medium such as a loop field, which are the source of the energy transfer. There are also traditional direct exchange geothermal pumps, which rely upon a single loop to transfer energy. The earlier systems relied upon this technology where a single copper tube carries refrigerant between the heating and cooling system and the external source. While these systems are more efficient than traditional technologies, they lack the overall efficiency of new technologies such as closed loop systems. Close loop heat pumps rely upon a refrigerant solution which exchanges energy with the ground in order to regulate internal temperatures in a natural manner.

Engineers continue to improve the underlying technology involved in heat transfer with more advanced materials and methods that result in better efficiency. With incentives from governments and private firms, households and businesses are aggressively adopting the technology at a rapid pace. Today, it’s common for new households to integrate geothermal heat pumps as part of the sustainability movement.

Geothermal heat pumps are available in your area, for more information Contact us today.

cost of geothermal energy

While the green energy movement may be partially driven by sustainable energy needs, it is also highly influenced by economics: consumers and businesses are opting for geothermal energy alternatives as a means to save money over standard energy costs.

The primary question for businesses and consumers today is whether installing geothermal heat pumps provides an economic benefit over traditional energy sources given the fixed costs of geothermal energy installation.

While installation costs are also variable, geothermal energy is driven by a lower marginal cost relative to coal and natural gas, which encourages adoption along with tax incentives that help to buttress the fixed costs of setting up the system. Property owners should make insightful decisions when it comes to their energy costs: a properly integrated geothermal energy system can provide for efficiency and cost savings improvements over other forms of energy.

Many renewable sources of energy are actively competing for investment, including wind, solar, hydro power and geothermal energy. What separates geothermal energy from the other sources is that the technology is a proven, cost effective source of heating and cooling throughout the year, since sub-soil temperatures (which provide the source of energy transfer) are much more stable than naturally variable wind and sunlight.

There are active geothermal energy plans operating in areas such as California and Iceland, which utilize underground heat to power turbines – Northern California has a number of geothermal installations which provide energy on an impressive scale.

Recently, the Federal Government passed a renewable energy subsidy that provides billions in tax rebates for consumers, businesses and scientists to encourage adoption. These subsidies provide an important source of incentives for consumers to adopt the technology since estimates suggest marginal costs are up to 30% lower than traditional coal (efficient geothermal systems generate power at under 4 cents per KW-hour while Coal systems are roughly 6 KW-hour, not to mention the differentials in pollution emissions.)

In fact, Credit Suisse conducted a study (ref: http://emagazine.credit-suisse.com/article/index.cfm?fuseaction=OpenArticle&aoid=120785) which determined that geothermal energy is even more efficient than wind, nuclear, natural gas and clean goal in terms of efficient energy transfer. As a result, the primary impediment to adoption of the technology is the high fixed costs of installation given existing sources of natural gas and coal.

Installing a modern heat pump system can cost over $6,000 for a household, which is twice the cost of modernizing a traditional heating system. Depending on the conditions in one’s property, the installation costs can be expensive, although tax incentives have helped to lower these costs significantly. The Department of Energy as well as a number of states offer tax rebates to lower these costs, allowing households to supplement traditional sources of energy with Geothermal heat pumps.

Many households are able to generate energy from the systems at less than $0.04 kWh, which is often half the cost of traditional fossil fuel based heating systems. These economic advantages are driving widespread adoption of the technology when consumers, municipalities and firms are looking at the cost of geothermal energy for long term savings and better environmental practices.

To find out more information about the cost of geothermal energy, Contact us today.

Many homes have installed geothermal heat pumps to provide a primary or supplemental source of heating or cooling for their home. With improving technology, a number of developed countries including China and Sweden are leading the way in direct applications of geothermal energy to homes and buildings.

Geothermal energy has been rapidly growing in adoption based upon improving efficiency standards. Engineers have vastly improved the techniques to extract geothermal energy and apply it directly into central heating and cooling systems

One of the major factors driving the rapid adoption of the technology are savings rates – properly installed heating pumps can provide up to a 50% cost savings relative to traditional sources of home climate control. Many utility companies and local governments offer rate and tax incentives to customers who adopt the technology, further driving a trend toward widespread installation.

The direct application of geothermal energy to home energy systems through ground heat pumps has earned the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) seal of approval. Simple laws of physics and economic trends have given incentive for the adoption of the technology for many homes and businesses. Since the temperature within the ground remains relatively stable around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the differential between these temperatures and general climate conditions helps to regulate internal environments. Combined with rebate incentives from the federal government, many households have actively integrated geothermal systems to lower their heating and cooling bills substantially.

While the exact household-level savings is a function of the baseline energy costs, many homes save over $1,000 per year after implementation of a heat pump. Compared to traditional furnaces, heat pumps improve energy transfer efficiency by up to 300%, resulting in greatly reduced home energy bills. Especially for larger homes, these savings can be substantial.

At the core of any heating and cooling system is a ground-source heating pump with an underground water cycle. The ground temperature impacts the refrigerant in the heat pump, resulting in energy that can help heat or cool a home. Simply, the heat pump improves upon the traditional heating pump technology which has to generate energy. By placing the heat pump up to six feet below the soil, it is able to extract energy from the soil temperatures to help regulate the internal temperature of the home. Depending on one’s geographical location, these temperatures can range from 40 to 70 degrees.

Importantly, heat pumps don’t experience the same diminishing marginal returns on efficiency that traditional heating systems do; during particularly extreme temperature days, the pumps have to work more actively but retain their high efficiency standards to help heat or cool homes. Geothermal heating and cooling has been a revolution in sustainable home energy production, and is rapidly growing in adoption.

Would you like to know more about geothermal heating and cooling? Contact us today.

Using the sample centralized heating system integrated into many homes, heat pumps are a natural, Energy Star certified way to provide heat transfer from the ground. The result is that households can save over 1/3 off of traditional energy bills, while also being able to reduce emissions, noises and overall energy costs throughout one’s home.

geothermal residential heating

Since soil temperatures are relatively stable when compared to varying above-surface temperatures, and so energy transfer from the ground can provide a source of heat energy. Depending on the geographic location, most soil temperatures vary around 50 degrees, which provides an important source of heat and energy for a variety of households. Many homes in North American and Europe have installed systems which conduct energy from the ground through geothermal heat pumps. With an increased focus on sustainable low-carbon energy production, many governments and organizations have issued tax rebate incentives to encourage adoption of geothermal systems.

Ground-source heat pumps transfer the energy by way of a refrigerant, which allows for heating of households at a high level of efficiency. The refrigerant solution then transfers the extracted heat to circulate throughout homes, which provides an important source of natural heating for a wide variety of households today. Major utility companies are now offering installation and incentive of the latest heat pumps as an effort to provide more affordable residential heating options, while the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is actively working to promote adoption through its Energy Star program.

Scientists have further improved the technology which was first developed in the 1940s, and has undergone continued development over the past few decades. New materials such as polybutylene were developed in order to improve conductivity of the systems, and there are over 100,000 heat pumps installed world-wide. The latest technology relies upon advanced conductivity to further increase efficient energy transfer during the winter. Since the systems have a high level of stable efficiency, they are particularly useful in cold Northern winter climates. With improvements in efficiency, the systems are even more economically sustainable than before, resulting in more widespread adoption among households.

With the recent Federal stimulus package, government incentives for installation were increased, and development of green jobs for certified installers is also being encouraged. As a proven technology that provides an important source of green energy, geothermal heating is a great way to hedge costs for heating oil, which is growing in demand with a limited supply.

Communities throughout the world, from the Northwestern United States to Europe are rapidly adopting the technology as a means to increase global sustainable energy sources. Residential heating bills can decline by as much as 50% with a properly installed system, allowing for consumers to benefit during difficult economic times. The ability of households to dually benefit from lower costs, more environmentally friendly practices and tax incentives has made geothermal residential heating a solution on the rise.

Using geothermal residential heating can save you money, Contact us today.

geothermal installation

Property owners today can rely upon a variety of advanced techniques for geothermal installation such as heating pumps in their homes or businesses. The basic principle behind the systems is that they must efficiently transfer energy from the ground into the building’s core energy source.

Depending on the particularly geography and layout of your property, the systems are structured to provide the most efficient energy transfer possible so that you can lower your heating or cooling bills with relative ease. Engineers continue to innovative new grid technologies to improve upon transfer efficiency, and there are four major systems in play in most buildings today.

One of the most common systems you will find today is known as a horizontal coiled loop geothermal installation. The coils are looped to provide efficient energy transfer, and the overlapping loops are designed to increase the surface area within shorter spaces, and can fit terrain where it is impractical to install the systems using traditional horizontal systems. These systems are often installed in particularly landscaped areas, since they can be integrated with minimal disruption to the surface. Many home and building owners opt for installation of these systems with professional contractors.

Click here to visit Atlanta’s Geothermal Heating and Cooling Specialists

Among the earliest integration solutions is the horizontal straight loop design, which places horizontal pipes underneath the soil. While the system is highly cost effective, it can also potentially damage landscaped properties, which makes it important to integrate only on property that has not fully been structured. Modern techniques, however, have innovated machinery which allows for installation with less disruption since tunnels can be dug underneath the surface without the need to interfere with standard surface conditions.

Properties with extensive energy needs but a lack of ground space for installation can opt for vertically situated loop installations which are more expensive but also provide an option for smaller land owners. These systems are used for many large commercial buildings which lack the extensive ground areas, and have become common in commercial applications of geothermal heat pumps today. Many business owners are fully evaluating the options for installing geothermal installation as a means to integrate geothermal energy into their commercial properties giving restrictions on digging and installation.

Areas which are situated near natural springs, steam beds, ponds or lakes can take advantage of a water grounded loop system. By working to extract heat from the bottom of a natural source of water – Iceland is famous for utilizing hot springs for this purpose – buildings are able to harness energy near the bottom of the stream with minimal costs and highly efficient energy transfer.

You can find pond loop systems in a wide variety of homes, businesses and industrial applications which are found near natural bodies of water. Rural homes which are on lakes are ideal candidates for the systems, which can provide a cost-effective, sustainable source of energy production throughout the year. As technologies continue to improve, the loop-based installations continue to be the most common installation form performed by certified geothermal installation experts. Always consult with a local professional to determine which system is ideal for your property, as well as your energy needs.

Would you like to know if a geothermal installation is available to you in your area? Contact us today.