Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium
The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC), a non-profit organization created in 1994, has as its mission the implementation of the National Earth Comfort Program. The Earth Comfort Program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy , the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and private sector organizations interested in promoting the growth of energy efficient, environmentally friendly heating and cooling technology. The Consortium acts as a resource for anyone, including environmental engineers or mechanical engineers, wishing to know more about GeoExchange technology.
GeoExchange systems work on a different principle than an ordinary furnace/air conditioning system, and they require little maintenance or attention from homeowners. Furnaces must create heat by burning a fuel–typically natural gas, propane, or fuel oil. With GeoExchange systems, there is no need to create heat, hence no need for chemical combustion. Instead, the Earth’s natural heat is collected in winter through a series of pipes, called a loop, installed below the surface of the ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid circulating in the loop carries this heat to the home. An indoor GeoExchange system then uses electrically-driven compressors and heat exchangers in a vapor compression cycle–the same principle employed in a refrigerator–to concentrate the Earth’s energy and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. In typical systems, duct fans distribute the heat to various rooms.
In summer, the process is reversed in order to cool the home. Excess heat is drawn from the home, expelled to the loop, and absorbed by the Earth. GeoExchange systems provide cooling in the same way that a refrigerator keeps its contents cool–by drawing heat from the interior, not by injecting cold air.
Thus Geothermal systems capitalize on the solar energy stored year-round just beneath the earth’s surface. This free geothermal energy is an unlimited, renewable resource. The lot surrounding a typical suburban home contains 10 times more energy than is required over an entire heating season. And this resource is constantly replenished by the sun, the surrounding earth and heat rejected while the geothermal system is cooling in the summer.
According to an EPA study entitled “Space Conditioning, The Next Frontier” (Report 430-R-93-004), the Department of Energy and the EPA recognized geothermal systems as the most environmentally friendly, cost-effective and energy efficient heating and cooling technology available. So you can make a significant contribution to a cleaner environment - while saving up to 70% on your home’s energy bills.
