Geothermal alternative or addition to PV system

[Heather]

Anyone know anything about domestic geothermal power ie. likely cost and return/income per annum please? Just wondering if it is worth looking into either to suppl;ement PV in winter or as a sole system for a non-working farm. Thanks. Heather

 

[JD6400]

Hi Heather
We have been involved in quite a few ground source installs dating back up to five or six years on some , with several different install company's and makes .
In my opinion they are not worth it , all of my clients have latter admitted running costs to be i quote " a little scary " .
One had to have a new secondary 3 phase supply installed solely for the ground source , and even then when it cut in all the neighboring property's lights dimmed .
The worst one was where we had expressed our concern to the consultant supposedly specking the job , that there was not enough left in the supply to run it . We were rather rudely ignored and after blowing the main supply fuse for the third time it was decided to upgrade nearly two miles of the supply cable taking six months , all over the winter and i believe around £56000 ! Now that was a cold house !
If you want renewable then thermal solar that is where it is at , and that comes from a company that supply's and fits PV solar not thermal solar !!!!

 

[adslev]

Yea done a huge geo thermal heating job at a new build primary school a few years back, massive ground source pumps can't remember the kw but was told it would pay for itself in approx 150 years time, and as far I know a new build school has a life span of brethren 25-30 years now! Another waste of time is the free to air heat recovery systems, done one winter past and it was running flat out to no avail bear in mind it was -22c, prob would work well in the summer months when heating isn't required!!

 

[JD6400]

Yea done a huge geo thermal heating job at a new build primary school a few years back, massive ground source pumps can't remember the kw but was told it would pay for itself in approx 150 years time, and as far I know a new build school has a life span of brethren 25-30 years now! Another waste of time is the free to air heat recovery systems, done one winter past and it was running flat out to no avail bear in mind it was -22c, prob would work well in the summer months when heating isn't required!!

Tell me about it , they are the absolutely a waist of time !
Out of probably 15 or so we have done the controls for , we have had to go back and reconnect the existing boiler on about 25% of them ( would have been more but most had replaced a knacked boiler ) they even come out with a separate in line electric heater now for when it gets cold !!!!!
Luckily the company we were subbing for no longer exists as we were not that that happy to be associated with air source .
We also used to install the controls for a large local builder who all ways used Worster bosh air source heaters until he installed one on his own house and it was crap !
After several visits from both his plumber and worster bosh ( both blaming each other for the faults ) worster bosh pretty much told him to go swing , we have not done one since !!!