The three D’s that can describe fossil fuel are Dangerous, Dirty, and Dwindling. They are bad for the environment, but yet are still the number one source of energy. The good news is that there are cleaner, sustainable energies knocking on our doors. It is high time we welcome them into the picture with open arms. Here’s a quick look at geothermal and wind energy, and how people can harness them for their homes.
Geothermal Energy
The earth’s core is where geothermal power comes from. The deeper you go, the hotter it gets. Scientists believe that humans have utilized this energy type ever since the cavemen era. In the United States, only one percent of the nation’s energy comes from geothermal sources.
For residences, people can use a ground-source heat pump to generate energy. These work by drilling and installing water-filled pipes into the ground. The pipes must travel below the frost line, and will be used to transfer the Earth’s heat to a pump. The pump will then divert the heat to the home via air-ducts. There are ground-source heat pumps that can run in reverse, to lower temperatures during summer time. They can also be used to heat the water supply of your home.
The efficiency of your geothermal system depends on the water usage. It gains and loses heat far more efficiently than air does. Another factor you must take into consideration is the nature of ground water temperatures.
Wind Energy
Wind has also been a source of energy for men. Windmills were used in ancient Persia, for irrigation and milling. Today we have wind turbines to harness energy and convert it into electricity. Wind’s major disadvantage is that it depends on the weather. Power will not generate when the wind ceases to blow.
Constructing a wind turbine in your home will depend on many factors. First you need to look at your local zoning regulations to see if they allow the construction of a wind turbine one your property. You will also need to check whether the structure will fit on your property. A ten-kilowatt model features a 23-foot turbine, and requires an 80-100 foot tower. You might also have to confer with your neighborhood association regarding your plan.
These two clean energy sources can be harnessed to power your home. A cleaner environment will be beneficial for everyone. Wind and Geothermal energy can bring in more jobs, and decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Just as a point of clarification, ground source heat pumps don’t generate energy. They are a mechanism for heat transfer that requires less input energy than other forms of heating and cooling systems.
Also, all ground source heat pumps on the market are reversible and can heat as well as cool.
For those not familiar with the geothermal heat pump. The Planet Green Channel (I believe is from Discovery) did a segment on renovations where an oval house featured a “cooling room” with this technology.
.-= Irrigation´s last blog ..Selecting the Right Irrigation Pumps =-.
@Anonymous – thanks for that clarification!
@Irrigation – thank you! I will have to have a look at this, sounds like the video must be very interesting.