What is Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal energy has been used to heat and cool businesses for several decades and over time its name has morphed into several popular variations including geo-thermal, water-to-water, ground-water assisted, ground-water, and geoexchange. Regardless of which variation you choose, geothermal energy by definition is: thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. An easy to understand definition of how we can use geothermal energy is simply tapping into the earth’s heat and reversing the process to cool your home or business.
This organic heating and cooling process is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional home HVAC systems because of its reduced carbon footprint and lower utility bills. Due to the rising costs of oil and natural gas, people continually find it’s more and more expensive to heat and cool their homes and businesses. Geothermal heat pumps installations offer a cost effective alternative to conventional heating and air conditioning systems like forced air conditioning systems, gas furnaces, oil furnaces and boilers.
Contact the Wisconsin Geothermal Energy experts to schedule a free consultation.
How Does Geothermal Heating and Cooling Work?
Around the world temperatures vary throughout the year. Wisconsinites experience first-hand the short summers filled with blazing sun and high humidity that quickly turn to freezing cold winters that seem to last forever and are accompanied by bitter winds, ice and heavy snow. Regardless where you live, or what season it is, what many people don’t realize is that the temperature below ground stays fairly consistent all year round.
Because the earth is able to absorb nearly 50% of the heat from the sun, the ground is able to maintain a higher temperature consistency than above ground (like inside your home or business.) Geothermal heating and cooling systems tap into the earth’s free energy system using what’s known as an earth loop. The type of soil and nearby water resources determine which type of earth loop is used.
Geothermal Heating
To generate heat for your home or business, geothermal heat pumps use the earth loop to pull heat from the ground. As the system pulls heat from the loop it distributes it through a conventional duct system as warm air. The same heat energy can also be used to heat your hot water or for a radiant floor system.
Geothermal Cooling
To cool your home or business, the above described heating process is simply reversed. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, heat is removed from the air in your home or business and either moved back into the earth loop, or used to preheat the water in your hot water tank.
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