With energy prices rising, we are all looking for ways to upgrade of our buildings in order to reduce heating and cooling costs.
Is a geothermal system the solution to the problem?
Geothermal is a Renewable Energy Source (RES) and exploits the energy stored inside the Earth. A shallow geothermal system uses geothermal (GSHP/GWHP) heat pump technology and for every 1Kwh consumed by a geothermal heat pump the Earth returns 4Kwh for heating or cooling and hot water production. This translates into a system efficiency of 400% and thus the heating-cooling system of a building is converted into a renewable energy source.
Performance comparison with other heating-cooling systems
| Type | Performance | Mode |
| Oil Boiler | 85% | Only Heating |
| Gas Boiler | 100% | Only Heating |
| Air Source Heat Pump | 150-300% | Heating-Cooling |
| Ground Source Heat Pump & Ground Water Heat pump | 400% | Heating-Cooling |
How does a geothermal system as a Renewable Energy Source play the role of a heating and cooling system?
The answer lies just 1.5m below our feet, where the Earth has the ability to maintain a constant temperature (eg Crete 17-20oC) without being affected by external conditions (frost, heat). In this way, a geothermal system always has a constant performance and achieves savings of up to 75%. This practically means that a house with an average area of 160m2 with the climate data of Crete can consume as little as 1.80 euros/day for heating and 2.50 euros/day for cooling.
Geothermal systems are recognized as the most efficient and environmentally friendly heating-cooling systems available in the world to date. One of the great advantages of geothermal beyond savings is the longevity of the system as it does not have exposed equipment. For example, a closed geothermal system has a lifespan of about 30 years and almost zero maintenance costs.
The initial installation cost may be high for a geothermal system, but if you consider its lifespan and the savings it offers, it will payback period 5-10 years for a house with an average surface area of 160-200m2. It is not a coincidence that the demand for geothermal systems in our country has grown dramatically in recent years.
