Why choose a ground source heat pump?

You save money
Installing a ground source heat pump can lead to a reduction in energy consumption. The reason for this is that a ground source heat pump uses the ground, surface soil or nearby lake as its main energy source, and all these kinds of energy are free of charge.

Although the heat pump doesn’t pay for itself in the first month, you will notice the financial benefits right away because your heating bills will be so much lower.
Moreover, the efficiency of the latest generation of ground source heat pumps positively impacts the speed with which you recover your investment.

You reduce your carbon footprint
The second reason for choosing a ground source heat pump is that it’s so environmentally-friendly. By merely storing and converting solar energy from the ground to heat your home and hot water, a ground source heat pump leads to much lower CO2 emissions than a traditional fossil-fuel based heating system.
Some governments and regional authorities offer subsidies to homeowners to switch from fossil fuel based heating to a more modern, renewable source of energy.

Since ground source heat pumps are now officially classified as renewable energy, there couldn’t be a better time to change!

How do ground source heat pumps work?
The earth absorbs and stores heat from the sun year after year, providing us with a constant source of naturally renewed energy. Just a few feet under the ground, there is a fairly constant average temperature of 4°C to 12°C. This trapped energy represents a vast reserve of low grade heat waiting to be tapped. The ground source heat pump gathers heat from the solar energy stored underground, either using collectors buried at a shallow depth, or from boreholes which are drilled deeper underground.

The heat is transferred from the ground to the heat pump using a mixture of water and an environmentally-friendly anti-freeze solution. It circulates through the closed loop, absorbing thermal energy from the earth and carrying it to the heat pump. The refrigerant circulates in the heat pump and thus the heat from the ground is retained and converted into high-grade heat to be released into your home via an underfloor heating system, water based radiators and into your hot water tank.

3 DIFFERENT HEAT SOURCES

1. Rock - Using a ground borehole probe

Ideal for refurbishment or adaptation from a fossil fuel based heating system.
In the lower subsoil of the so-called “near-surface geothermal layer” lies a heat source with an almost constant temperature that can be utilised all year round.

The heat pump collects stored solar energy from a collector in a hole drilled into the rock. The depth of the hole can vary between 90 – 200 metres, depending on the size of heat pump selected and on local building regulations.
This type of system can be used for all possible building types, large or small, public or private. It requires little space and the ground probe can be drilled in the smallest of gardens.

2. Surface soil - Using a surface collector

Cost-effective energy collection.
During the summer, solar heat is stored in the soil. This is either directly absorbed as insulation or as heat from rain and the air from the near-surface layer of the soil. The heat pump collects this stored solar energy from a buried collector. That is, a hose filled with anti-freeze, and buried at a depth of about 80 – 100 cm, the length of the hose varies between 250 and 400 metres, depending on the size of heat pump selected.
Using this energy for heating is a cost effective method. The highest yield can be obtained from soil with a high water content.

3. Ground water

A viable energy source for any building
where ground water is easily accessible.
Ground water can also be utilised as a heat source since it has a temperature of between 4 and 12°C all-year round. The heat pump collects stored solar energy from the ground water. Normally, there is one well for drawing up water and one for returning it.

More good reasons to exchange your conventional boiler for a ground source heat pump:

• Ground source heat pumps are ideal for underfloor heating and water-filled radiators.
• They tap into highly stable temperatures below the earth’s surface to provide a consistent source of energy all year round.
• Some heat pumps can also include a cooling function.
• You no longer need to worry about the availability of fossil fuels.
• No natural gas / oil supply, flues or ventilation are needed.
• A heat pump gives you a clean, discreet heating, eliminating the need for a chimney.
• The noise level is extremely low and there’s no visual impact on the garden since the collectors are buried out of sight.
• The heat pump is simple to install and operate, with a user-friendly display.
• 25+ year lifespan.
• No annual maintenance required.

MG Renewables can design, supply and install a complete ground source heat pump package including boreholes, heat pump and heating distribution system.

Click Here to read answers to frequently asked questions on Ground Source Heat Pumps

Please call us on 0844 800 3454 for further advice and a quote.