I’d always thought of geothermal as an option for more volcanically active parts of the world. It turns out that it’s a viable possibility in Ontario as well. Gladwell’s post is about his father’s experience installing a geothermal heating system (at a cost of $25,000), for an ongoing saving of $1,800+ annually.
Yup. I don’t think that this kind of “micro-geothermal” will work for everyone, but it’s a great idea for folks that have access to land that can be dug up, and then left fallow (so to speak).
I really do think that one of the keys to a greener future is lots of small-scale projects that work in a given situation. Our model of power generation and utilities (so far) has been monolithic: huge hydro/coal/nuclear plants to power entire cities. There are lots of benefits to smaller scale projects, that heat/power/cool neighbourhoods or individual buildings.
Yeah, my dad installed one for the same cost – now he pays about $20 annually to run it. Now a lot of his neighbours are interested in it. It works in the summer, too, as a/c – which they’ve never had before in their lives.
Also, half our house wasn’t previously heated – it was just frigid. Now the whole place is an amazingly moderate temperature – never hot, just… perfect. I guess it’s “room temperature”.
It’s an amazing system – big huge massive gigantic installation, but once that was over, it’s been great for them.