[Berosus]

I wonder why so few folks are considering geothermal power as a renewable energy source. Because underground temperatures are constant, geothermal energy should be more reliable than the sun or wind, so anyone who can do the math will be able to figure out how much geothermal is needed. And though we have no volcanoes in Kentucky, I hear that heating water by geothermal wells is feasible even here.

[zeugma]

The Bush's place in Crawford used geothermal. I think we'd be smarter if we planned for this when we build rather than as add-ons later. Next time I build a house, I'll take a close look at what it would cost to run some pipes down through the bedrock. The ground is a hell of a heat sink. Given the part of Texas I live in solar is a smart bet. Wind would be possible too if you have enough room. Personally I'm not a fan of wind, so to speak, but it doesn't hurt to look at it all.

To me, it has nothing to do with global warming, climate change, or whatever it's called this week, and everything to do with stewardship, and ROE. If having some solar panels is going to make me money in the long run, then why not do it?

[Thibodeaux]

There is another application of geothermal that although much less dramatic can offer savings with a eat pump. The heat pump gathers heat from the air and concentrates it to heat the house. If the heat source is changed to underground or water sources, the ΔT on very cold days is decreased. In you area, the undergroud temperture year round I would guess is around 50 F. So, when pumping heat, the unit is working from 50F. That is a big difference than when the outdor temp is say 0 F