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What Is Ground Source Energy?

Ground Source Energy systems provide heating and/or cooling for buildings by taking advantage of the near constant temperature just under the Earth's surface . This constant temperature provides an ideal medium to extract heat which can be upgraded via a Ground Source Heat Pump for heating buildings, or as a medium to which heat can be rejected from a building in order to provide cooling.


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Ground Source Energy or GeoThermal Energy?

Both "Ground Source Energy" and "Geothermal Energy" are terms used to describe energy which is sourced from the Earth, so it's not surprising there is some confusion. However, true geothermal energy is tapped from the Earth's central molten core. In Iceland whole townships are heated using the geothermal heat from subterranean volcanic systems. The term " Ground Source Energy" is not used to describe heating sourced from the Earth's molten core.

 

Earth As A Solar Panel

In addition to the heat emitted from the Earth's central core, the Earth acts as a huge solar energy collector absorbing 47% of the sun's energy. This is 500 times more energy than mankind uses every year and all in the form of clean renewable energy.

 

Earths Vast Energy Store

Only a few metres down the temperature tends to remain constant at about 10-16°C and usually varies by a few degrees (more in the winter) from the surface and air temperature. This is the principal on which a Ground Source Heat Pump works. The amount of temperature variance depends on the geology of the soil, climate and seasonality.

 

By using the Earth's vast energy store it is possible to greatly reduce a building's energy consumption for heating and cooling services and in turn reduce associated CO² emissions.

 

 

Did You Know? [View All]
  • EPA found that, even on a source fuel basis – accounting for ALL losses in the fuel cycle including electricity generation at power plants – Ground Source Energy systems are much more efficient than competing fuel technologies. They are an average of 48% more efficient than the best gas furnaces on a source fuel basis, and over 75% more efficient than oil furnaces. In fact, today’s best Ground Source Energy systems outperform the best gas technology, gas heat pumps, by an average of 36% in heating mode and 43% in cooling mode!
  • Apart from the cool relief in summer and warm comfort in winter, a Ground loop heat exchanger will offer no additional clues to its hard work. These systems have no noisy, rattling units to disturb your staff or neighbours.
  • Geothermal heat pumps are efficient. The use of Ground Source Energy lowers electricity demand by approximately 1 kW per ton of capacity.
  • A Ground Source Energy pump produces very little noise.