Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Geothermal Heating and Cooling  (Read 3878 times)

Offline theoman

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 640
  • Outskirts of Brussels, Belgium
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2011, 07:54:35 am »
We're using: www.stic.be

We're meeting with them Monday night. I might have some better information after that.

Offline bernman

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 34
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2011, 07:54:52 pm »
My wife and I live in CT and have been in our new house since June 2010. We installed a geothermal system when we built the house last year. It was not cheap, about 30k for a 3 ton setup for a 1900 sqft ranch style house. We got back about 13,600 from tax credits and rebates. We have gotten about 80+ inches of snow so far this winter. Our last two electric bills were $221 for Dec and $187 for Jan, that is for heat, hot water and elec for the rest of the house combined. I talked to one of my neighbors and he paid $350 for oil and $100 for elec for last month. So in the last two months we paid about 500 less than my neighbor for utilities. So far I am happy with the system and don't regret going with geothermal over oil or gas.

IMO geothermal is best suited for new construction. I have heard horror stories of people who installed geothermal in older houses and end up with high elec bills if the house was not well insulated. Our house is an Energy Star Rated house which helps boost the efficency of the geothermal.

Offline oscarvan

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1707
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2011, 10:00:09 pm »
Quote
(that's the only way we get the massive tax breaks - 7500 euros/year for 4 years).

Whoa....... :o That's almost $40,000.00
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline punatic

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4583
  • Puna District, Hawaii Island (UTC -10)
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2011, 10:41:32 pm »
Quote
(that's the only way we get the massive tax breaks - 7500 euros/year for 4 years).

Whoa....... :o That's almost $40,000.00

Ain't socialism wonderful?!
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907

Offline 1vertical

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2702
  • Ozone Layer. Actual location
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2011, 10:57:55 pm »
All electric 1960 sq ft house...supplimental heat with a free standing COAL burning stove.
Nothing else...the house water even is produced from a well with the pump on
the same meter...we had several 20 degree F BELOW zero days last month
and the electric bill was .... $135.00  U.S. (rounded up). The temp in the living
quarters is around 70-75 deg F during the times we are up and active. My CPU stays
powered on all the time, we have Incandescent lights because they work on my dimmer
rheostat. Electric Water heater, Electric range, all electric.Time I get the coal here it costs
around $100.00 a ton and in cold months we may burn about 1000# a month.
So economically, it is very reasonable.  Burn Coal,
it has Great heat value, Carbon units be Dam*#d!  Why don't I burn wood or pellets
you ask?? Wood does NOT have the heat value I like and you have to do a LOT more
work to get it into the larder.  You have to outright buy pallets of pellets and I have never seen
a pellet stove yet I could back my butt up against and feel warm. I considered a corn
burner stove but ruled it out because of availability of fuel.
I considered geothermal because I have 5 acres of vacant pasture
that could contain a large long loop of geothermal tubing just
that at the current price of $30K it would take somewhere near
25 years just to break even….

« Last Edit: February 26, 2011, 08:40:37 am by 1vertical »
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Offline johnf

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 434
Re: Geothermal Heating and Cooling
« Reply #20 on: February 26, 2011, 10:58:59 am »
All electric 1960 sq ft house...supplimental heat with a free standing COAL burning stove.
Nothing else...the house water even is produced from a well with the pump on
the same meter...we had several 20 degree F BELOW zero days last month
and the electric bill was .... $135.00  U.S. (rounded up). The temp in the living
quarters is around 70-75 deg F during the times we are up and active. My CPU stays
powered on all the time, we have Incandescent lights because they work on my dimmer
rheostat. Electric Water heater, Electric range, all electric.Time I get the coal here it costs
around $100.00 a ton and in cold months we may burn about 1000# a month.
So economically, it is very reasonable.  Burn Coal,
it has Great heat value, Carbon units be Dam*#d!  Why don't I burn wood or pellets
you ask?? Wood does NOT have the heat value I like and you have to do a LOT more
work to get it into the larder.  You have to outright buy pallets of pellets and I have never seen
a pellet stove yet I could back my butt up against and feel warm. I considered a corn
burner stove but ruled it out because of availability of fuel.
I considered geothermal because I have 5 acres of vacant pasture
that could contain a large long loop of geothermal tubing just
that at the current price of $30K it would take somewhere near
25 years just to break even….



My house is about the same size and with a vertical loop, which is more expensive, my cost was much less than 30K and it included a new hot water heater, humidifier and some other extras.

The installed cost must vary from location to location.

Don't forget the 30% tax credit with no cap through 2013, that really improves the breakeven point. I also get a 35% or so break on electricity from Sep to May locally (I think I read that only two cities do this, so not common) which helps a ton too.

Without these incentives, I wouldn't have done it.