Geothermal Heating in North America
While citizens of Switzerland and Sweden wallow in their plentiful demand of geothermal heating and cooling, the countries of North America have fallen grossly behind. Consider this: While in excess of 75% of homes in these two adapting countries are heated and cooled by use of geoexchange, the United States and Canada boast an entire 1% of homeowners who utilize geothermal technology. One percent! Unreal, isn’t it? Actually, no, it isn’t unreal. These statistics are very real, and probably as astounding as they sound.
That said, with the rest of the world finding favor in geothermal heating and cooling, it’s high time we make an effort to catch up. While countries like Switzerland have an enormous head start at this juncture, the goal isn’t necessarily 75% for the United States and Canada. The first benchmark? Let’s go with 2%. If, through increasing public awareness of and consumer confidence in geothermal technology, we’re able to double the number of households with a geothermal heat pump in North America, we’re certainly headed in the right direction. We’ll have won a small battle in the war for renewable energy technologies, but a key battle, nonetheless.
Help Geothermal Genius, as we continue to strive to increase geothermal public awareness in North America, and the world over.
Today’s market is tough on homeowners. Available capital is in short supply while more people in North America find themselves spending more time in one of their largest investments: their home. In parts of the country, some utilities are recognizing the energy efficiency and comfort benefits are substantial for ground source (geothermal) heat pumps and are doing something about it! Just listen to what is happening in Oklahoma.
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Installing a geothermal system is now more affordable than ever — with a $375 per ton incentive payment from OG&E. For most residents this equates to a $1,500 incentive payment (based on a 4-ton unit). Combine this with a Federal tax credit of 30 percent for residential and 10 percent for business customers, and the savings keep adding up. (http://www.oge.com/environment/Pages/Geothermal.aspx)
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The unique interplay between utilities as service providers and owners of the ground loops could be a game-changing opportunity for the market. This shared responsibility gives utilities benefits with improved load factors, reduced peak loads to the electrical grid, and significant carbon reductions to meet federal standards.
For a homeowner, the benefits are immediate. The 400+% efficiency of these systems should make anyone’s ears perk up, especially when it is putting Americans back to work and keeping spending here on our soil.
We may not be leading the way internationally on GSHPs, but we are getting very close to tipping the scales.