Everyone looks forward to summer after a long winter and an incredibly wet and cool spring. Yet, all too often, extended heatwaves can ruin the joy of being outside on a hot summer afternoon while you choose to stay indoors where your air conditioner keeps your space cool and comfortable, 68F.
But some experts claim that unprecedented “extended heatwaves” are causing significant strain on the nation’s aging energy grid. While a small minority in Congress is calling for green alternatives to carbon-producing energy products like coal and oil, the reusable energy market is still in its infant stages and nowhere near replacing fossil fuels.
However, one clean alternative to dirty fuels is becoming popular among green-minded people and traditional fuel proponents alike: geothermal energy. While this underground energy source is perfect for geothermal heating applications in colder climates, it can also be used as a supplemental power source for an overused power grid.
According to a new report by The Hill, recent heat waves are more extreme and longer lasting than in previous years. This also places enormous pressure on America’s fragile electricity grid and forces you to consider renewable energy solutions.
One of the leading candidates for a renewable energy source is geothermal ground source energy. Like solar energy, it can be utilized by commercial property owners, homeowners, plus institutions. It has the potential to save money but also can ease the grid’s burden while benefitting the planet.
Says, The Hill, the need for geothermal energy is urgent. They point out that Western states have been cooking under triple-digit temperatures in recent months. Ten areas in California are said to have achieved all-time highs this past summer, some reaching as high as 116F.
The State of California electricity grid hit a record demand of 52,061 megawatts, or MW, on September 6, while the previous high was 50,270 back in 2006. Between severe heat and new laws favoring EVs that must be charged daily, it’s no wonder the grid is overburdened.
National Demand Expected to Grow
With the present administration’s push to shift America to EVs, which are said to reduce carbon emissions, demand for geothermal energy will grow. Wind and solar energy do not provide enough power, and they also have significant challenges regarding transportation and consistency of energy, placing that much more importance on geothermal energy.
Said to be a natural power that’s sourced from the ground, geothermal energy can be stored and extracted from the earth’s subsurface. The energy is accessed from many areas which can provide cooling and heating for nearby buildings, be they residential or commercial.
The energy is reusableand, therefore, environmentally friendly. Electric and combustion engine energy is usually utilized to tap into geothermal sources, but if accomplished at a “reduced level,” the practice will make for a more sustainable grid.
Here’s how Geothermal Energy Works
Geothermal ground source heat pump systems for individual properties work like this: A piping system buried in vertical wells or, in some cases, submerged in a horizontal position below ground allows fluid to circulate in the building’s heat pump. The system then provides cool or heated air, refrigerant, and water.
During the winter, the heat pump will pull heat from the ground.In the summer, the opposite occurs, as the system pushes heat out of the building and back into the earth. Individual property owners need some outdoor space to accommodate the pumps, be it a yard or a portion of a parking lot.
Say the experts, geothermal ground source energy systems work more efficiently on more significant properties “where the energy use per acre is not as great.” But if you only have a small lot to deal with, you can utilize a hybrid geothermal system.
Medical centers, municipal government buildings, housing, university/college campuses, and office developments are said to be well-suited for geothermal energy usage. Contractors can even construct “geothermal loops” that connect several buildings and facilities to a single system.
Geothermal Expense
Since it is born of the earth, geothermal ground source energy is free. But like oil and natural gas, it’s the cost of extracting the energy, plus the geothermal system installation costs money.
However, the cost is justified when a new cooling or heating system is required, with much of the expenditures recouped by savings and the satisfaction of knowing you are saving the planet.