Fact File - Micro-Generation

Geo-Thermal

1.	What is Geothermal Energy?
	Geothermal energy is energy produced from the heat found in the ground. If you are lucky enough to live in a place like Bath, with its geothermal springs, you can tap into the heat of the spring and use it to heat your house. But that doesn't exclude everyone else. The earth itself retains the heat of the sun, and this can be tapped too, even in winter. The great thing about Geothermal energy is that it not only warms in winter, but it cools in summer too! Rather than drawing heat from the ground, you can pump heat into the ground. So it's central-heating and air-conditioner.
2.	How does it work?
	Even though the temperature outside goes up and down with the seasons, ground heat is remarkably stable all year round; even in the winter, the earth's temperature is a constant 10 to 15°C (40-60°F) at only six feet below the surface. The majority of systems have what's known as a closed loop system. This means that a pipe with liquid is laid in the ground, and the liquid circulates around the pipe. As the cool liquid flows around the ground warms it up. The warm liquid is pumped into a compressor to heat it up some more. The heat is then used to heat your house and water. In the summer the reverse happens. Warm air from the house is used to warm the fluid which is then pumped around the pipe in the garden. The heat is absorbed by the cooler ground.
3.	Can it replace my central heating?
	If you have a small house, along with other efficiency measures geothermal will go a long way to replacing your central heating, and about 60% of your hot water requirement. There are examples of geothermal being used in very cold regions so there is a great deal of reliable heat to be obtained from the ground.
4.	Is it environmentally friendly?
	Absolutely, the system itself requires little energy to operate and it releases no pollutants into the air. It is reckoned that such a system can reduce your personal emissions by up to 50%. It is clean and has very few moving parts. The only maintenance required is for the pump and the filter.
5.	What happens if the pipe springs a leak?
	The pipes that are used are made from very durable materials, some with guaranteed lifetime of 50 years. The likelihood of a leak is very small.
6.	Is my garden big enough?
	The loop can be laid either horizontally or vertically. If you lay it horizontally then it will require enough space to lay 100-400 feet (although this can be stacked). You can also go down, but you would need to go down 75 to 300 feet. Either way these are significant earthworks, and not something that you should embark on yourself. Geothermal is ideal for a new build situation, though if you have space for the digger it will be great for an existing property.

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