Cheaper heating with Ground Source Heat Pumps

December 30th, 2008 | by hdtv |

Climate change and rising power costs are big topics of concern for everyone these days. Ground source heat pumps are used to reduce both carbon footprint and energy costs for homeowners. Low level heat energy can be absorbed from the ground throughout the year to extract renewable heat energy which can be used to produce heat energy for heating homes and commercial buildings. Ground temperatures in most locations are relatively constant thoroughout the year. In most cases useful heat energy can be produced even when outside air temperature drops below zero.

After installation, ground sourced heat energy extracted by a ground source heat pump is used to provide lower heating costs and smaller carbon footprints for homes, offices, shops and factories. Carbon emissions from a ground source heat pump are usually smaller than emissions from traditional gas-fired, oil-fired or electric heating.

A ground source heat pump system uses the same technology to that used by a normal domestic refridgerator. Heat energy is pumped out from inside the refridgerator. In the case of a refidgerator extracted heat is simply dispersed as waste heat. With a ground source heat pump the heat produced is useful heat energy which is harnessed to provide heating for a building or to create a hot water supply.

Frequent alternatives to ground source heat pumps are air source heat pumps which extract heat from the air and water source heat pumps which extract heat from pools and rivers.