The Principles of GeoThermal

Geothermal heating and cooling systems – also called geoexchange or ground-source heat pumps – provide all-season comfort by tapping the energy that is naturally stored in the earth. This energy isn't just renewable: it's constant.

  • Heat. Conventional furnaces burn fossil fuels, depleting precious resources and polluting the air. An Ultra system draws the earth's natural warmth into the home, burning nothing.
  • Air Conditioning. Conventional cooling systems pump indoor heat to the hot outdoor air, requiring immense amounts of electricity. Using almost no electricity, a geothermal system draws the earth's cooler temperature into the water, providing cost-effective summer comfort.
  • Hot water. Geothermal heat pumps produce combined hot water off their system for low-cost hot water.

By using the groundwater as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer, our systems work much more efficiently than any combustion system or air-to-air heat pump. And you have the peace of mind that comes from a totally combusiton-free home.

 

Tools


Geothermal vs Conventional Heating and Cooling

When your geothermal system is installed and operating, you have a fully integrated, single-source home energy system. There is no tank to fill and only one energy bill to pay. A single unit provides both heating and cooling. And, you have the peace of mind that comes from a totally combustion-free home.

Savings Intro

To compare heating systems (apples to apples) you need a common denominator. We have choosen to use "1 million BTUs" because many homes use between 45,000 - 85,000 BTUs per hour on a very cold winter day, which is just over a million BTUs per day (about 125,000,000 BTUs per year).

Because each system uses a different fuel type we need to know how many BTUs a unit of fuel contains (A). Then, using efficiency ratings of each system (B), you can calculate the number of units required to create 1 million BTUs (C), which is used to compare costs (see calculator/next tab).

   
A
B
C
Fuel Type
Fuel Unit
BTU/Unit
Heating System
Efficiency
Units Required
1 million BTU

#2 Fuel Oil
Gallon
138,000
65%
78%
84%
92%
11.15
9.29
8.63
7.88
Natural Gas
Therm
100,000
65%
78%
84%
92%
16.7
14.3
12.5
11.1
Propane
Gallon
90,000
65%
78%
84%
92%
17.5
15.0
13.1
11.6
Electric
Baseboard
kWh
3,413
100%
293
Air Source
Heat Pump
kWh
3,413
293 / 2.5 COP (Warm Climate)
293 / 1.8 COP (Cold Climate)

117.20
162.78
Geothermal Heat Pump
kWh
3,413
293 / 3.9 COP (Warm Climate)
293 / 3.4 COP (Cold Climate)
293 / 4.2 COP (Hydronic)
 75.13
86.18
69.76

Heat Pump efficiency is measured as Coefficient of Performance (COP). For instance a baseboard electric heater has a COP of 1 (it is 100% efficient). Geothermal Heat Pumps in the Northeast have COPs of 3.4 or higher (depending on system design and performance).

How to Use This Calculator

To generate 1,000,000 BTUs simply enter the units required and the cost per unit of fuel.

Type of Fuel
Units Required per M
From Col C (previous tab)
Price per Gallon
of Fuel or kWh
  
Cost per Million
BTUs ($)
Fuel Oil #2
Natural Gas
Propane Gas
Electric
Resistance
Air Source HP
Water to Air Geothermal HP