Earth Day is coming! Every April 22nd, we celebrate the planet that connects us all. This year’s theme, “Invest in Our Planet,” encourages us to choose the health and preservation of Earth.
Almost 25% of the energy produced worldwide is used to heat and cool homes and buildings. 1 That’s a lot of energy dedicated to comfort! The good news? You can choose comfort without feeling guilty. Enertech’s geothermal, air-to-water heat pumps, and solar all help create a greener earth.
Go Geothermal: Take Two Cars Off the Road and Plant 750 Trees
Geothermal heat pumps are the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. They use renewable energy by extracting heat underground to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes or buildings. Installing a geothermal system is the carbon equivalent of permanently removing two cars from the road and planting 750 trees!
Unlike wind turbines and solar panels, geothermal systems live out of sight underground. Most geothermal systems use ground loops, a flow center, and an indoor heat pump to move heat where needed.
- In warm seasons a flow center moves the heat from your home and transfers it below the ground, cooling your home.
- In cool seasons the system reverses cycles, transferring the heat from the ground into your home, warming it.
Sustainable heating, cooling, and hot water capabilities all in one system keep your home comfortable.
Geothermal - top efficiency
Geothermal systems run on a renewable energy source, making geothermal better for the environment. Geothermal energy is efficient. We measure efficiency by looking at the COP, a ratio of electricity output to consumption. A COP of 1:1 means that the method is 100% efficient. It uses the same amount of energy as it creates to heat or cool a space. A geothermal unit delivers a higher heating and cooling power ratio than the electricity it consumes, with typical COPs ranging from 3-5.2 But that’s not all...
- Heat pumps reduce greenhouse gasses for heating and cooling by 70%.
- Ground source heat pumps, also known as geothermal, produce 75% to 85% less carbon dioxide emissions than gas and oil.3
Even small changes can significantly impact the Earth. As climate activist and naturalist Jane Goodall says, “Together we can, together we will.”
Geothermal vs. Traditional Heating and Cooling
Most traditional heating and cooling systems require fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and propane from oil and natural gas refining. Burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, producing harmful pollution. 4 Geothermal emits little carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. With a geothermal system, you can throw your carbon monoxide detector away (or better yet, recycle it and the batteries).
In addition, a geothermal system is 3-4 times more efficient than the most efficient fossil fuel system. 5 See the chart below to compare the efficiency ratings.
Save $ by Switching to Geothermal
Not only is geothermal better for the environment, but it saves you money, too! The upfront cost of geothermal is higher than traditional heating and cooling systems, but you can recoup that cost and save big throughout the unit's lifespan. 6
EPA studies report that homeowners with geothermal systems save 30-70% on heating costs and 20-50% on cooling costs compared to traditional systems. These savings can add up to $1,500 annually. 7
Two factors create lower monthly utility bills:
- The underground temperature is steady no matter the temperature outside, so your geothermal system does not need to work harder from season to season.
- The “source” of energy, the heat from the ground produced by renewable solar energy, doesn’t run out. You don’t pay fluctuating market prices like you do for natural gas, oil, or propane.
Other great news, in August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act to cut climate pollution levels by 2030. Because geothermal is recognized as an efficient way to heat and cool your home, the act updated a federal tax credit in the US to offset the upfront cost. You can receive a 30% tax rebate on a residential geothermal unit until 2032. Many other local rebates are also available in the US and Canada. Your local installer or energy provider may be able to help you locate those to help you save even more. Not only is geothermal a climate solution that helps the planet, but it helps your wallet too!
I’m Ready to Save Energy and Money
Are you ready to invest in our planet? We’d be thrilled to join you on your journey exploring geothermal, solar, or an air-to-water heat pump in your home. We can help you:
- Learn about products that save you energy and money.
- Discover application options, and
- Connect with reputable installers.
Whether it's geothermal, air-source, or solar PV, bring us on board to assist.
Sources
- “Heating and Cooling.” MIT Climate Portal, https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/heating-and-cooling#:~:text=But%20keeping%20our%20buildings%20a,cool%20homes%20and%20commercial%20buildings.
- Kaminski, Ben. “Cop and EER: How Geothermal System Efficiency Is Measured.” Sobieski Services | DE, NJ, PA, MD, 27 Nov. 2020, https://www.sobieskiinc.com/blog/cop-and-eer-how-geothermal-system-efficiency-measured/#:~:text=Geothermal%20heat%20pumps%20typically%20have,in%20watts)%20the%20system%20uses.
- Dandelion Energy. “Geothermal Environmental Benefits.” Dandelion Energy, 10 Mar. 2020, https://dandelionenergy.com/environmental-benefits-of-geothermal-heat-pumps#:~:text=Geothermal%20Lowers%20Carbon%20Emissions,than%20gas%20and%20oil%20produces.
- Iea. “Heating - Fuels & Technologies.” IEA, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.iea.org/fuels-and-technologies/heating.
- “Geothermal Heating and Cooling.” Ecology Action Center, https://ecologyactioncenter.org/energy-home/geothermal-heating-and-cooling/.
- “Heat Pumps and Climate Change.” The Momentum, https://www.themomentum.com/articles/heat-pumps-and-climate-change#:~:text=The%20bottom%20line%20is%20that,change%20in%20your%20own%20home.
- “Geothermal Savings Calculator: Geotherm: Rochester NY.” Geotherm, 16 Feb. 2023, https://geothermhvac.com/savings-calculator/#:~:text=Numbers%20from%20US%20Environmental%20Protection,to%20savings%20of%20%241%2C500%20annually.
