geothermal environmental effects

Stored energy, whether we are talking about fossil fuels, solar energy or ground source geothermal energy is abundant and at least for the long term foreseeable future, inexhaustible….. for the most part. Debates can and are being held about the efficacy, efficiency, reliability and ethics around any one of these and all arrows point to the fact that these debates will continue. 

When contemplating the geothermal environmental effects however, the debate over which energy source to use for which application changes. It can be argued that geothermal energy, when considered from an environmental position only, eclipses the potential negative side effects of all other sources of energy. When used in residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial applications, a well-designed and considered geothermal application has immediate as well as long-term positive effects on this planet we call home.

Geothermal energy requires an extremely small footprint in comparison to similar energy outputs like solar. Ground loops are installed, either vertical loops, horizontal loops or even loops submerged in a neighboring lake or river. Once placed, these become invisible to the surrounding area, are completely self-sufficient and will last for decades. Additionally, with a 300 to 400 percent efficiency factor, geothermal uses significantly less energy in comparison to the “standard” energy sources used in homes today.

By switching to geothermal energy, significantly lower greenhouse gasses are produced as well as eliminating your need of natural gas, oil or coal. Think about this statement in light of the global news of the day with all the references to shipping disruptions, refineries, shortages, and one quickly sees the potential benefits of significantly “unhooking” from this very uncertain commodity.

Geothermal systems reduce the need to extract, transport, and burn fossil fuels, and require less generation and transmission of electricity than traditional heating and cooling systems. This translates into a direct reduction of the most harmful greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrous oxides (N02).

Not only do these systems benefit the natural environment, they are also one of the best choices for our indoor spaces as well. Geothermal systems provide excellent indoor air quality with none of the risks associated with carbon monoxide and open flames. An excellent choice for those users requiring sterile conditions including medical, research and industrial applications.

Additionally, installing a geothermal system in a residential home is equivalent to planting 750 trees or taking 2 cars off the road.

Sleep better know your choices are making an impact.