Geothermal Heating for Your Home

Closed Loop Residential Geothermal Heating System

Geothermal energy – heat from deep underground – could be the next big thing in renewable energy.  A recent MIT study concluded that enhanced geothermal energy systems could comprise 10% of electricity demands by 2050.  Its low-cost and low-carbon emissions.

On a smaller level, geothermal heating for your home can help heat and cool your living spaces much more efficiently than with traditional heat pumps.  Residential geothermal heating systems save energy largely because there is less of a process to heat (or cool) the outdoor air to a comfortable indoor temperature.

Cindi O’Neil, Vice-President of SolAire Homebuilders, explained:

“The advantage is that the ground-source heat pump only has to make up the difference between the desired indoor temperature and the temperature that’s five feet beneath the earth.  When you start with air that’s 52 or 55 degrees, you don’t have to go far to reach a comfortable, year-round indoor temperature of around 75 [degrees]“

Here’s a great explanatory video:

Here in Central Oregon where I live, volcanic activity pushes our region to 3rd in the nation for geothermal energy potential!  In fact, my hometown of Bend, Oregon includes an estimated 30 homes that have ground source heat pumps as part of a green home design.

One of these homes is a LEED-certified building that’s been featured on the 2009 Tour of Homes and the 2009 Green and Solar Home Tour.  The 4,316 square foot residence enjoys a tiny utility bill – just $36 this past June.  The residential geothermal heating system incorporates five 200-foot wells under the backyard that pumps an anti-freeze-like liquid into and out of the home in a loop system.

Wondering what geothermal heating for your home might cost?  Remember that a 30% tax credit will be available for the energy-efficient upgrade.  The final cost could be in the range of $15,000-20,000, which is quite comparable to a solar photovoltaic system.

So, in reality, you might not have to “dig deep” to go green.  Consider using the natural heat of the earth with a residential geothermal heating system!