What are the Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal represents a hugely expensive initial investment. It’s not yet clear how much an installed system adds to the value of a home when it is put up for resale. Geothermal can only run underfloor heating, not radiators. Thus it cannot be turned up and down on a whim, and you can be caught out by, say, a sudden cold snap in the summer because it takes days for the system to readjust. The cost can often be unpredictable — deep-bore could be very much more expensive if you hit bedrock for example — something you won’t know until drilling commences. What does it cost to install? Estimates vary widely from €6,000 for an air system in a new home to perhaps €25,000 for a retrofit deep-bore in an older home. How muchwill it save me? Larger homes have the best cost savings. Combined with high insulation levels, it should shave 30% or more off your heating bill. That’s €700 a year for an average home. And that’s at today’s gas and oil prices. Gas is already going up again. Oil is likely to
As the interest in alternate fuels such as geothermal energy increases, it is important to also consider the disadvantages of geothermal energy. Geothermal energy uses the heat stored in the earth to generate electricity. This heat is trapped in the earth’s core and can be accessed by drilling into the earth’s crust. There are several locations where a source of energy is located closer to the earth’s surface, making it possible to generate heat by harnessing the steam that is already escaping. There are three major disadvantages of geothermal energy: renewability, infrastructure requirement, and location. These factors are central to the worldwide usage of geothermal energy. This type of energy creates no waste product and operates at almost no cost once the original plant investment is completed. The drain on the earth’s resources is one of the largest disadvantages of geothermal energy. Once the heat source starts to cool down, there is no way to reverse it. Although these types of
* It isn’t completely renewable. Although there is enough to last for decades, this will eventually run out as the earth cools. * There are a limited number of places where geothermal power stations can be built, as this type of energy relies on the suitability of rocks, and depth of drilling. * Sometimes hazardous gases and minerals escape from the ground, which are hard to safely dispose of. Will it be used in the future? Currently in the UK, there is one geothermal power station, based in Southampton. Heat pumps are becoming more and more popular with householders in the UK. There are approximately 250 pumps installed each year. It is estimated there are 1,500 sites where heat pumps can be installed in the UK, but there are limited locations for geothermal stations because hot rocks are needed. Further Information For information about grants, click here.
