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| Geo thermal | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 7 2012, 12:13 PM (126 Views) | |
| HandFarming | May 7 2012, 12:13 PM Post #1 |
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From http://finance-commerce.com/2012/05/sustainable-underneath-minnesota-abundant-energy-goes-untapped/ Beneath Minnesota’s often cold surface is a hot heart of granite that could serve as an energy source in the future. Scientists studying the Earth’s crust in Minnesota have discovered that the geothermal potential is much greater than originally thought, especially in the western and central parts of the state. If harnessed, that energy source could replace today’s power infrastructure at a competitive price. “When you look at all the energy emitted from the core of the Earth every day, it amounts to three times the amount of energy used in the world,” said Donald Fosnacht of the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute. “It’s basically lost to space.”.....read more on http://finance-commerce.com/2012/05/sustainable-underneath-minnesota-abundant-energy-goes-untapped/ |
| You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think. | |
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| Grizzly | May 7 2012, 10:15 PM Post #2 |
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Some new homes are already installing geo therm but I've also heard, like any other energy saving device, It is almost insanely expensive so only very well off home owners can afford it. I've looked into installing my self and the amount of under ground footage of pipe for proper use wasn't going to work for us. You need a lot of fairly level and easy digging ground surrounding the house not to mention "electric" pumps. Seems like every energy saving device includes electricity and yes there is "solar" or "wind" but one expense leads to another and another. As for commercial construction and supply, they may help the planet but there will never be a savings for the average home owner and some one will get filthy rich from it all. Global warming comes to mind as one example. We need a simple common idea that helps everyone that wants it, kind of like the invention of the windmill, simple, effective, and low cost. |
| Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns | |
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| Mommacat | May 8 2012, 03:14 AM Post #3 |
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I think you got it right with the "like windmills"...I think that's exactly what eveyone needs. Not the kind that creates and sells power back to the grid, but a self-contained, closed system that powers only YOUR stuff. Anything else is prohibitively expensive. My former brother in law had geo-thermal heat pump in his house. Cost about $27k and the big underground pump lasted exactly 7 years. Then, when it quit, he found out that it had been installed in such a way that there was no quick, easy way to get it back up - they had to practically re-dig the whole thing to get it up and put in a new one. When the new one was put in, I guess they had some sort of access cover and large pipe so they could get to it again. The in-house pump that actually circulated the water after it was above-ground lasted slightly longer at 8 years. But, you are right, it relies on electricty to pump it and therefore, its not a prepper-friendly system. I know a lot has been said about hydro-powered systems and that's a good idea too, but I just have a sneaky suspicion that briskly moving streams and creeks might end up being nothing more than a trickle if the SHTF situ was some sort of natural/astro type occurance. The entire face of the planet could possibly re-shape itself and if you can survive that, I think a person can always rely on at least some sort of a breeze, even if it isn't a constant one. The very best "plan" as far as I can see is one that does not involve anything but man and animal power - a stock of batteries, etc. may last several years, but anything electrical isn't going to be much use after that, I don't think. It would be a great conveneince to have a windmill for water and possibly some electrical generation, but I would still plan on not having that convenience and figure out other ways to do things if and when that failed. |
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| HandFarming | May 14 2012, 07:10 AM Post #4 |
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The article was about geo-thermal electrical power from 7-10 mile deep drilling. In theory -the system would generate steam heat to move turbines and send the cooled water back down the shaft. The study looked at several possible resources of free and unlimited electrical generations....besides hydro. There is a system that has been running in France since the 70s with no addition substantial costs. They usually look at putting this system in near natural hot springs in shallow, mile deep wells but this article talked about how it might be feasible in MN. For the rest of us, I agree, animal power, wind and hydro are preferred. With an emphasis on conservation, I think we could get by with a lot less electricity. |
| You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think. | |
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| Mommacat | May 15 2012, 09:02 AM Post #5 |
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Well, the temperature not far underground is a constant 58 degrees (according to researchers at the Carlsbad Caverns) and so, while I am not real sure how the heat pump works, but it brings the substantially warmer water to the frozen surface in the winter months and it is cooler than the air in summer, so it cools things down. I don't believe it actually HEATS, but the water is significantly warmer than the air and so it takes much less energy to heat it to be warm enough for the boiler system to work. I think..... not exactly sure....but that was the gist of it. As for the deep drilled steam - yeah, that would be great if they could do it here, but I seem to recall reading somewhere, (can't think where, just now) that it wouldn't work here because of a different subterranean geological structure? Does that ring a bell with anyone? And, just like any other cheap, easy fix, our gov't will never allow that to happen - the big oil companies would freak out and stop their policial campaign contributions and we must never, ever, have that happen!! |
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| HandFarming | May 18 2012, 09:41 PM Post #6 |
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Another type of heat/cooling storage: Above ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=n90Y6Qwab_8&NR=1 |
| You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think. | |
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