Some Interesting Facts about Geothermal Energy

The two most basic sources of power on the planet earth are right above our heads (solar power) and right below our feet (geothermal power). Unfortunately, we don’t make as much use of these renewable and clean sources of energy as we could… but that is all changing.

Although people have found ways to harness geothermal power for hundreds of years, it’s only within the last few decades that it has become available to provide comfort for homes through geothermal heat pumps (“ground-source” heat pumps). Your home might be ideal for a geothermal heat pump, and Raleigh Heating & Air is here to help you find out.

Here are a few interesting facts about geothermal energy that you might not know:

• Geothermal heating and cooling is one of the safest ways to provide comfort for a home, because it does not use flames or burn any kind of fuel.
• The earliest known use of geothermal energy comes from archaeological evidence of cultures in North America 10,000 years ago that used hot springs for cooking.
• The country that makes the most use of geothermal energy is Iceland. Approximately 30% of the electricity produced in Iceland comes from geothermal power plants. By comparison, only about 1% of the electricity in the U.S. comes from geothermal sources. A bit less than 90% of the homes in Iceland use geothermal heating, and the country plans to be 100% free from fossil fuels in the near future.
• In the U.S., the state that makes the most use of geothermal power is Nevada. Approximately 10% of the electricity generated in northern Nevada comes from geothermal power. California is in second place with 6%, and then Utah with 2%.
• The global resource base of geothermal energy, according to government surveys, is larger than that of coal, oil, gas, and uranium—combined. When you take advantage of geothermal energy, you’re tapping into an almost unlimited resource.

The use of geothermal energy continues to grow with each year, and it is now available for your home comfort. Call Raleigh Heating & Air in Wake Forest, NC to learn more about how we can set up a geothermal heat pump for your home.