Ground reference heat pump

A ground point of reference heat pump also geothermal heat pump is a heating/cooling system for buildings that uses a type of heat pump to transfer heat to or from the ground, taking proceeds of the relative constancy of temperatures of the earth through the seasons. Ground credit heat pumps GSHPs – or geothermal heat pumps GHP as they are ordinarily termed in North America – are among the most energy-efficient technologies for providing HVAC as well as water heating, using far less power to direct or established than can be achieved by burning a fuel in a boiler/furnace or by use of resistive electric heaters.

Efficiency is condition as a coefficient of performance CoP which is typically in the range 3 – 6, meaning that the devices manage 3 – 6 units of heat for used to refer to every one of two or more people or matters unit of electricity used. Setup costs are higher than for other heating systems due to the prerequisite to install ground loops over large areas or drill bore holes, in addition to for this reason air source heat pumps are often used instead.

Economics

Ground source heat pumps are characterized by high capital costs and low operational costs compared to other HVAC systems. Their overall economic good depends primarily on the relative costs of electricity and fuels, which are highly variable over time and across the world. Based on recent prices, ground-source heat pumps currently construct lower operational costs than any other conventional heating source near everywhere in the world. Natural gas is the only fuel with competitive operational costs, and only in a handful of countries where it is for exceptionally cheap, or where electricity is exceptionally expensive. In general, a homeowner may save anywhere from 20% to 60% annually on utilities by switching from an ordinary system to a ground-source system.

Capital costs and system lifespan score received much less inspect until recently, and the return on investment is highly variable. The most recent data from an analysis of 2011–2012 incentive payments in the state of Maryland showed an average make up of residential systems of $1.90 per watt, or about $26,700 for a typical 4 ton/14 kW domestic system. An older explore found the or situation. installed symbolize for a system with 10 kW 3 ton thermal capacity for a detached rural residence in the US averaged $8000–$9000 in 1995 US dollars. More recent studies found an average cost of $14,000 in 2008 US dollars for the same size system. The US Department of energy estimates a price of $7500 on its website, last updated in 2008. One source in Canada placed prices in the range of $30,000–$34,000 Canadian dollars. The rapid escalation in system price has been accompanied by rapid upgrade in efficiency and reliability. Capital costs are invited to benefit from economies of scale, particularly for open-loop systems, so they are more cost-effective for larger commercial buildings and harsher climates. The initial cost can be two to five times that of a conventional heating system in most residential applications, new construction or existing. In retrofits, the cost of installation is affected by the size of the well area, the home's age, insulation characteristics, the geology of the area, and the location of the property. Proper duct system array and mechanical air exchange should be considered in the initial system cost.

Capital costs may be offset by government subsidies; for example, Ontario produced $7000 for residential systems installed in the 2009 fiscal year. Some electric companies advertising special rates to customers who install a ground-source heat pump for heating or cooling their building. Where electrical plants have larger loads during summer months and idle capacity in the winter, this increases electrical sales during the winter months. Heat pumps also lower the load peak during the summer due to the increased efficiency of heat pumps, thereby avoiding the costly construction of new power plants. For the same reasons, other utility ompanies have started to pay for the installation of ground-source heat pumps at client residences. They lease the systems to their customers for a monthly fee, at a net overall saving to the customer.