OT geothermal and solar

[MarkKlier]

Finally going to build after 17 years in planning. Looking at geothermal DX vrs loop. Also looking at solar. I have done lots of reading. Just wondered if anyone had experience. Our house will be way off the road. We will conected to the grid, but bringing in natural gas will not be an option. So insted of looking at home heating oil, thought I would go this way...
Would love everybodies input.
MK

 

[davidpesce]

I don't have any experience with either, but subscribed to hear what others have to say.

 

[jolopy409]

Writing from my phone.. I researched this topic about 4 years ago but at the time I decided on a wind turbine instead. Although I chose to purchase a second home instead haha I a was planning on going that root instead of solar. At the time solar power was expensive up front and took years like 15-20 to pay itself off. I figured something with a 30 yr expected life expecticy wadnt worth it. I was gonna buy a Honeywell wind turbine. Cost about 10k and generated electricit in winds under 5mph. Any electrician or yourself could install it. To me being able to generate with wind was better due to clouds effecting solar. Just my 2 cents but either way id research the honeywell as an option. Might ne able to get 2-3 of them for the price of solar.

 

[jolopy409]

Also geothermal is a solid choice. For heating and cooling.

 

[E_rock]

Interesting topic. I have taken several utility classes. But not as many in the alternative energy field as I would of liked. Any chance you could point me in the right direction of good reading material that isn't a giant sales pitch.

 

[aquanooby]

Geothermal is the way to go. I am an hvac tech and love it .There is a high up front cost ,if you're doing wells its about 25-30k but the return on investment is high. there are still great tax rebates on this equipment also. I sell and install American Standard equipment and believe in it whole heartedly it surpasses anything else out there (trane and american standard made in same factory) Consumer reports still rated it fewest amount of repairs of any unit on the market even above the trane. Wish I was up there in yankee land to install it for you and cut a fellow reefer a deal.I wish you luck on whatever you do.

 

[jolopy409]

I dont have any ready I could tell you to read. I would look at the statr credita for energy effeciency. They cover about 25-50% of the cost. I would google the honeywell even if its a sales pitch lol. They will still have the details of output and that sort of info.

 

[MarkKlier]

Thanks for the input. Since this is a newbuild geothermal dose make a alot of sense. Since I will need an HVAC anyway. From what I have researched there are two major ways of doing this. One is called DX (direct transfer) that is where you have drill holes that go down about 60 feet and you use cooper tubing with a refrigerant for the heat transfer. The other is the HDP (high density poly)...those black plastic loops that you see all the time. Can use those under ground/ or water. We will be going under ground. Going to look at both of these closely. I do have concerns about the DX, seems like if you had a problem would be hard to fix....
MK

 

[redrider911]

I've installed a geothermal system in a huge house. I cant remember the specifics but it was a TON of money. That guy will never see a return on his investment in his lifetime. The system has way to many mechanical parts that could fail, and will cost a small fortune to maintain. Personally, I like the KISS method. Propane for the fuel and a nice Trane System for heat/ac and a nice Viessman boiler for radiant floor heat with the on demand hot water accessory. Simple, clean, efficient, and doesn't take up a ton of space.

 

[MarkKlier]

Thanks for the input. Redrider appreciate your input. Was a direction I thought about initially. Since 1996 the cost of propane has gone up 140% from 128 a gal to 282 a gal in 2010. Heating oil about the same %. Not sure that trend is going to change. But maybe.
The geothermal uses more electricity, that was why I was hoping to use some solar down the line. Electrical price has gone up but not as fast as propane or heating oil.

 

[captain7359]

Mark, Take a look at the solar vacuum collectors for hot water as well. They can be done on various scales and can do anything from domestic hot water, to heating, to cooling tied to an adsorption chiller depending on how far you want to go.

 

[redrider911]

Thanks for the input. Redrider appreciate your input. Was a direction I thought about initially. Since 1996 the cost of propane has gone up 140% from 128 a gal to 282 a gal in 2010. Heating oil about the same %. Not sure that trend is going to change. But maybe.
The geothermal uses more electricity, that was why I was hoping to use some solar down the line. Electrical price has gone up but not as fast as propane or heating oil.

That's the same reason I installed geothermal for my customers. Anything can happen in the next 10 years. Anything that can make a person less dependent on things such as utilities is a good thing in my book!