Geothermal is a buzz word found in many circles of the energy sector.  But homeowners searching for geothermal energy information for their homes may find much more than they bargained for.  Internet searches turn up all kinds of scientific jargon about geothermal and geothermal energy.

One search may take you to hot rocks, or magma, found beneath the earth’s crust that can be used to produce unlimited energy called Geothermal energy, or ‘Big G.’  This heat can be extracted from the ground to be used as direct heat or to drive electric producing turbines.  However, ‘Big G’ is limited to a minimal number of areas around the world where the magma is accessible.

Another search may introduce you to ‘Little g,’ which refers to the energy stored in the ground to depths up to 500 feet from solar radiation.  By a process referred to as geoexchange, this energy is captured by water circulated through a series of pipes in the ground and converted into heat for your home.  In the summer months and in warmer climates, a geothermal furnace collects the heat in your home and re-deposits that energy into the ground.  In essence, it’s a form of recycling.

Geoexchange is the term given by the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium to describe ‘Little g.’  More can be read on this topic by visiting NationalDriller.com.

To learn more about residential ‘Little g’ geothermal system installation, visit YoderGeothermal.com.