Geothermal Heating

Many people interested in Geothermal Heating wonder: What are the Geothermal Heat Costs? Like most other energy generation systems, geothermal heating can be somewhat expensive to install, with several years of use before the investment is recouped. Almost the entire cost of geothermal heating is invested in the infrastructure of the system, no matter what sort of geothermal system you use. In the short and long run, geothermal heat costs less than just about any other type of system out there. However, most systems are rugged enough to continue operating for many decades, leaving a very long time to enjoy free energy.

For industrial or residential use, much of the cost is incurred with the act of drilling. This could include the high-powered, industrial drilling for commercial power generation systems or simply boring out a path for the pipes to enter a pond on your property. The machines required to bore through rock, as is often done to reach thermally active pockets, are huge. Not only do you have to consider machine costs, but also the cost of the skilled labour required to run the machinery as well as the cost of putting the landscape back together after they've gone.

Though the price per kilowatt-hour is coming down in regions with geothermal power generation, this cost savings reflects the benefit of older plants that are just now becoming profitable. New plants that are being constructed today cost even more in adjusted dollars since the rising price of oil makes everything else more expensive.

For homeowners, most go through a contractor who specializes in such projects. This usually includes the fee for an engineer to develop a plan uniquely suited to your soil and other geological and hydrological concerns. Even if you're doing the work yourself, you'll want to hire someone to at least check your work, since no one wants to dig all that pipe up again. The cost of any environmental impact requirements should be included with the package you purchase from a geothermal contractor.

Once you're "tapped in," there is only the minimal cost of water pumping that is incurred. Even that is partly self-regulating in a well-designed system, with the differential in water temperatures actually performing some of the circulation function. Maintenance costs are minimal, though they increase with the addition of each moving part.

When installing a geothermal heat system, costs are almost all upfront. Repair and operational costs many years into the future can be offset by a small additional investment in high quality materials and design.

Geothermal Heating |