Tapping the Earth For Home Heating and Cooling 215
suraj.sun recommends a CNet post giving details of a still little-known energy technology: the ground source heat pump or geo-exchange system. This is distinct from so-called geothermal energy, which taps the heat in the earth to provide energy. Geo-exchange is suitable in scale for small industry — the article describes one commercial re-development of an old mill into apartment and commercial space that put in a geo-exchange at about half the cost of traditional fossil fuel-based alternatives. Even some individual homeowners are opting for this green method of heating and cooling, at a premium in price of about 50 percent (but costs are very much per-project, largely because drilling is involved). "Rather than use underground heat, geothermal heat pumps attached to buildings capitalize on the steady temperature of the ground or deep water wells. In effect, they treat the Earth like a giant energy savings bank, depositing or withdrawing heat depending on the time of year. "
Re:Depends on the ground (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Will you please just leave the Earth alone? (Score:1, Funny)
Just think of it as mother earth.
Re:Depends on the ground (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What about DX? (Score:1, Funny)
Wouldn't you substitute du for dx and then antidifferentiate? Or do I just have calculus on the brain?
Re:Since the article doesn't mention it... (Score:3, Funny)
...I would also point out that Bush's Crawford Ranch [snopes.com] uses a geothermal heat pump.
Ah yes ... but does Al Gore's?
Re:Washinton County School District... (Score:4, Funny)
...in Utah uses GSHP for almost every school. It saves them a grundel, but takes years to pay off.
What is a grundel, and why would you want to save it?
Re:Done a lot around here (Score:4, Funny)
Ya, its pretty common here too.
The story writer must live under a rock... no wait...
Re:Depends on the ground (Score:5, Funny)
I tried to stop by his place, but since I knew its momentum exactly I couldn't find it.
Re:Since the article doesn't mention it... (Score:5, Funny)
Al Gore doesn't have a Crawford Ranch.
Crawfish ranch (Score:1, Funny)
"I fondly remember ranching crawfish on my father's farm in Virginia."
Al Gore, "An Inconvenient Truth", 2006
Re:This idea doesn't work worth squat ... (Score:3, Funny)
This is why you should leave it to the professionals. I bet you just went ahead and arrogantly acted like an expert without even buying a proper pair of tap shoes.
Re:Washinton County School District... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Since the article doesn't mention it... (Score:2, Funny)
... the leader of the free world and it's not mentioned...
George, is that you?