When I bought my home over a decade ago there was one thing I definitely noticed. The basement during the summer was always naturally cool because it was underground. One day I’m going to go geothermal HVAC. Part of the reason now how has to do with my newest partners/sponsors – Dandelion Energy which provides low cost geothermal to homeowners. and part If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to heat and cool your home.
What’s Geothermal Again? Drill Baby Drill!
Ground source heat pumps use underground pipes to extract heat energy from the ground. They do this by circulating a mixture of both water and anti freeze across a pipe called a ground loop. Heat beneath the ground is soaked up into the liquid eventually passing through the heat exchanger and into the heat pump. Believe it or not the ground actually stays at a relatively consistent temperature so that this systems is still useable in the frostiest of winter months. They length of the underground loop depends mostly on the size of the property and that amount of heat that is required. Larger loops can certainly extract more heat but require more space to be buried with. Sometimes when space is on the tight side a borehole can be drilled as an alternative. Of course this heat can be used with traditional infrastructure such as radiators, hot water and under floor heating.
As IRENA reported recently, Central American countries, which currently rank among the world’s top countries in terms of the share of installed geothermal energy, have the potential for 20 times the currently installed capacity.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) geothermal systems are, “the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available today.”
My new partners at Dandelion, a geothermal startup that recently graduated X, the research and development lab at Google’s parent company, announces a partnership with Hudson Solar, the leading residential solar installer in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. Yes I’m teamed up with a Google Startup ok breathe breathe!).
Plus, I know Hudson Solar. They were chosen as a leading provider of solar in the Solarize campaigns throughout most of the Hudson Valley.
Then they teamed up with Artech Geothermal to do their ordered installs. That means they will be doing some drill baby drill very soon. Best part was they were originally going to install in 2018. Not anymore. Stop the presses!!
“Dandelion has lowered the cost of geothermal and set up financing so a homeowner switching to geothermal from oil or propane can save money from day one, just like with solar,” Hudson Solar CEO Jeff Irish said. ” … And with our community solar arrays, even people who can’t site solar on their property can go solar.”
With a solar and geothermal one can easily go zero carbon home. Geothermal energy companies like my buddies at Dandelion Energy will prove to provide stable and affordable electricity, while offering flexibility through the direct use of geothermal heat and cooling in homes across the Hudson Valley of New York.
The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is a green living expert, celebrity and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an author, radio host, reporter, writer and an environmental consultant on green living. The Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides, and more. Find Seth on his website, and read all of his MOTHER EARTH NEWS posts here.
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