Geothermal Energy
The rising cost of energy gives homeowners an opportunity to explore alternative heating and cooling systems. Geothermal heat pumps are one available option. Even though geothermal heat pumps are expensive, their efficiency and reliability will provide a value capable of recovering the high installation cost. The tremendous benefits this system provides will overcome the additional cost.
Geothermal heat pumps are different from other heat pumps in that they use ground heat instead of extracting heat out of the air. This provides greater efficiency especially as the air temperature becomes very cold. “While many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes – from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter – a few feet below the earth’s surface the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature. Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days” (“Geothermal Heat,” 2011). With this capability the advantages become very favorable, which can significantly outweigh the additional cost.
According to The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), “The initial cost of a geothermal heat pump system varies greatly according to local labor rates, lot geology and size . . . equipment costs can be 50-100% more expensive for a geothermal heat pump system…” (NAHB, 2001). These higher costs result from the required ground circulation l...
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...ntral air conditioner. As an example: If you'll save $700 per year with a geothermal system and the price difference is $2,000, your payback will be less than three years. If you install a geothermal system in a new home, the monthly savings in operating costs generally will offset the additional monthly cost in the mortgage, resulting in an immediate positive cash flow” (Water Furnace, 2011). With these facts in mind, it is easy to see the advantages of the geothermal heat pumps.
Geothermal heat pump systems come with a premium price. The high efficiency and reliability of the system has positive capabilities that outweigh the additional cost. After using one of these systems for the past five years in my home, I can attest to pay-off and advantages. It is only a matter of time and public awareness until this truly beneficial system becomes a widespread standard.
The first issue is the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission that will be given off each year. The United States Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs has determined that the projected amount of emission annually emitted by the project is “0.24 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2). On top of that 1.44 MMTCO2 yearly will be given off due to the electricity use to pump station power. This is equivalent to the GHG emission of 300,000 passenger vehicles or 71,928 homes using electricity for one year” (Walker, 14). This type of climate change in the Earth’s atmosphere will lead to warmer winters, shorter cool seasons, longer durations of frost free periods, warmer summer temperatures, and longer summers equaling impacts associated with heat stress and wildfire
Environmentally Friendly Conditioner Replacing an older model with a high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, air conditioner can reduce home cooling costs and energy usage by 20 to 50 percent according to HomeAdvisor. A ductless air conditioner is one of these systems. These can cost up to anywhere between $500 to $2,000, based on size and performance. Also known as split systems, they individually regulate the temperature in rooms. Doing so is more efficient than central air conditioning. According to Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks, “A ductless air conditioner can cost about $1,500 to $2,000 per ton of cooling capacity” Switching to a ductless air conditioning system can save people 20-30 percent on their energy usage every month, meaning less output of emissions from electric companies. These units can also incorporate heat pumps for w...
...Kroeker designed the first commercial geothermal heat pump to heat the Commonwealth Building in Portland, Oregon and demonstrated it in 1946. In 1960, Pacific Gas and Electric began operation of the first successful geothermal electric power plant in the United States at The Geysers in California. The original turbine lasted for more than 30 years and produced 11 MW net power. The binary cycle power plant was first demonstrated in 1967 in the U.S.S.R. and later introduced to the U.S. in 1981. This technology allows the generation of electricity from much lower temperature resources than previously. (Wikipedia, 2011)
In the short, renewable energy added to the grid just may displace natural gas use, because natural gas power typically has the highest operating costs.
The most significant of these are the Large Capital Cost of these systems themselves, and the noticeable value of recoverable electricity generated. The other key factors include the pressure drop and the gas flow rate, which combined determine the power production potential, and variability in flow.
They should not mine hydrothermal vents. Mining them sea life is put at risk. By mining the sea life is inured and or killed. Along with sea life the ecosystem is also killed. The chemicals produced from this process kills anything in it’s path. Although many bad things happen they do receive some good things out of this process, like learning more about our earth. While the machines are under the ocean they discover many new minerals and important things. Hydrothermal vents are dangerous and shouldn’t be used as much as they are now.
Fracking allows the pursuit of natural gas and is cracking the shale rock underground to release the trapped gas; chemically treated water and sand release natural gas deposits. Fracking will impact the economic development and revenue in some positive ways as far as creating jobs, especially in some places where jobs are scarce. It can also help with economic growth in the idea of helping to improve the natural gas industry and technology. Fracking natural gas can help America restrain from its need on oil and coal. When fracking it can destroy the natural soil which blocks the production of crops and which also makes revenue low as well; which means no money for families that need it. With the land being destroyed there cannot be cattle in
One of the big stalls on geothermal plants in Texas has been the fact that in order to get to a source hot enough you would have to dig deep in order to hit a site. We are proposing that we use existing drilling sites in the Permian Basin that have been used up and no longer needed for oil. If we can find the deepest sites with the highest temperatures we can use that and continue drilling deeper if needed. This would make these sites more economical as well since it does not need to be closed up. This way the need to find a geyser would not be needed since there is energy that exists. Setting up the plant is not much different from a normal coal power plant. The advantage is that it uses energy from heat from the earth which also give it more
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of drilling and injecting a fluid mixture of water, thousands of gallons of chemicals, and sand into the ground at an extremely high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release the natural gas inside. Up to 600 chemicals are used in fracking fluid, including known toxins and carcinogens. Sometimes fracking can happen extremely close to homes or drinking water supplies. There are plenty of health risks such as air pollution, destroying habitats and landscapes, contaminating water supplies, etc. But these can be insignificant compared to the benefits of fracking.
Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. Due to this effect, it widely impact lives and cultures around its area. During winter, temperatures of the whole Yellowstone will drop to 0 degree Fahrenheit, and the snow thickness reaches 20 inches. In addition, an elevation of 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level forms rarefied air in Yellowstone area. All of these show a severe circumstance for any plants or animals. However, geothermal energy in Yellowstone changes this condition.
"5 Things to Know About a Geothermal Heat Pump." The Family Handyman. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014
Although hydraulic fracturing has been commercially used since the late 1940s, it has become a controversial topic in recent years. For -some people, fracking risks human’s health and pollutes the environment while others believe that this drilling technique has brought enormous benefits for both the U.S. and its citizen. In this paper, I would go further into the background history of fracking and discuss different stakeholders’ stances.
Fracking has significant potential to alleviate our Nation’s dependency on foreign energy supplies; however, stringent regulation and careful monitoring are needed to assuage concerns regarding our nation’s water supplies, the environment and potential for increased seismic activity.
For the generation of electricity, hot water, at temperatures ranging from about 700 degrees F, is brought from the underground reservoir to the surface through production wells, and is flashed to steam in special vessels by release of pressure. The steam is separated from the liquid and fed to a turbine engine, which turns a generator. In turn, the generator produces electricity. Spent geothermal fluid is injected back into peripheral parts of the reservoir to help maintain reservoir pressure. If the reservoir is to be used for direct-heat application, the geothermal water is usually fed to a heat exchanger before being injected back into the earth. Heated domestic water from the output side of the heat exchanger is used for home heating, greenhouse heating, vegetable drying and a wide variety of other uses.
The price of the whole system is relatively high. The solar electric panels as well as the batteries can cost you a lot, however when you look at the long term run, it’s not a heavy investment, as it will save you a lot of money for the energy bills.