Geothermal Heating

In recent years researchers have proven that the actual heat of the Earth is a significant contributor to the thermal stability of a structure, greatly extending the usefulness of geothermal energy in areas that are not seismically active. Regardless of your application, there is almost surely a way to cost effectively use the benefits of geothermal power in your home or business.

The use of geothermal power generally falls into one of two categories, active and passive. Active geothermal is the use of superheated water to run a turbine, creating electricity. Passive geothermal uses the actual heat of the Earth itself to create a constant, moderate temperature, which is then transferred to buildings (and sometimes processing equipment), usually in the form of water or glycol pipes.

In North America, the use of active geothermal power is almost entirely relegated to power plants that lie upon sites of geothermal activity. This means that given the geography of the continent, most of North American capacity is in the far-western strip of the continent (away from the population centres of the East Coast). Geothermal power plants are currently operating in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. Such plants are usually rather large and expensive to drill and build, so it takes several years for them to "pay for themselves," though if the drilling has been done right, these plants can operate free and clear indefinitely.

In some places, the benefits of geothermal can be directly used as active heat generation in the home. This is a relatively uncommon use of geothermal energy and is usually used in ski cabins and resorts that are so remote as to have no grid access. Practically speaking, this means far less wood chopping in the summer and a great reduction in the amount of soot coming out the chimney and into the air.

The most common use of geothermal today is heat exchange pumps. This allows the heat of the Earth, usually at a constant 45-50F (8-10C), to heat and cool your home, using a relatively simple system of pipes and water to circulate under the house. This is especially useful in the winter in very cold climates. Areas such as Minnesota and Wisconsin can see a tremendous difference in their heating bills when they're only raising the temperature from 50-68F (10-20C) rather than taking it all the way up from -25F.

The potential energy savings in the eastern half of North America is incredible when you think of how simple it is to install a set of pipes under the house compared with just about any other type of "renewable" resource. The type of geothermal that is best for your situation is determined by what is available to you, and for most people, that means a passive system for heating and cooling.

Geothermal Heating |