Geothermal
A well-grounded story
When you hear the word "geothermal" it's easy to conjure up an image of molten lava, miles below the earth's surface. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just drill down and "tap" that awesome energy source, piping steam directly into our homes and buildings?
It's a great concept, but for now at least, it remains science fiction. But what we can do is utilize the natural heat inside the earth to generate energy from an efficient, renewable and cleaner source. Geo-exchange technology has been utilized since the late 1940s. While many parts of the country experience broad seasonal temperature extremes - from scorching heat in the summer to frigid temperatures in the winter - the temperature a few feet below the earth's surface remains relatively constant. This ground temperature is warmer than the air above during the winter and cooler in the summer. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth. They are able to heat, cool and, if properly equipped, can even provide hot water. They use fans and compressors and are quieter than air-source heat pumps, though many systems combine air-source and geothermal-source pumps for added efficiency.
Geothermal systems are more expensive than standard air-source systems, but the additional cost can be realized in savings over five to ten years. Only 40,000 to 50,000 geothermal units are installed in the United States annually, but the word is getting out that it's a smart alternative.
Examining the benefits of alternative energy sources and making smart choices about where your energy comes from are just a few of the many OneThings you can pursue in your quest to help conserve resources and reduce our dependence on costly energy sources such as oil and gas.