How does Geothermal work?
Geothermal systems take advantage of energy stored beneath the earth's surface to heat and cool buildings. A geothermal system consists of an indoor system and buried earth's loops. In the winter in heating mode, heat is extracted from fluid circulating though
the buried earth loops by the geothermal heat pump and distributed to the home or building typically through a system of air ducts. In the summer in cooling mode, the process is reversed. The relatively cool fluid in the loops absorbs heat from the building and transfers it to the ground. At the same time the excess heat is siphoned off to preheat hot water
What makes a geothermal system different from other heating and cooling systems?
47% of the sun's energy is absorbed by the ground. The earth is a storage device for the sun's energy. Geothermal systems simply tap into this stored energy and transfer it to your home. Unlike fossil fuel heating systems geothermal systems transfer heat - they don't create it.
How much will it cost to install the furnace system?
In new homes at Sun Rivers the capital costs to install the system (furnace and hot water tank) are comparable to a high efficiency natural gas furnace and electric air conditioners. (excluding the ground loops).
How much will it cost to install the ground loops?
At Sun Rivers the utility company pays for the cost of the installation of the ground loops as part of the infrastructure costs of the community. A connection fee is charged at the time of construction. Residents are billed a reasonable monthly ground loop access fee as part of their utilities. The geothermal ground loops are treated as utility infrastructure.
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Geothermal drilling unit at Sun Rivers |
What does this mean to the environment?
Geothermal is entirely renewable, there are no carbon dioxide emissions, no combustion, no flame, no flue. An average 2000 sq. ft. home in Kamloops, heated with natural gas consumes approximately 62 gj of natural gas per year and emits approx. 6,790 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air we breathe each year. By adopting geothermal technology for our entire community we are preventing emissions of approximately 17.6 million pounds each year from polluting the air we breathe. Geothermal is the most efficient and environmentally friendly system available, minimizing threats of acid rain, air pollution and the greenhouse effect.
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