Geothermal Heat Pumps: The Electric Car of the HVAC Industry

This scene has played out before me countless times. An individual approaches me with only the vaguest idea of what a ground source heat pump is. I take my time, and explain that it is simply a method of extracting heat from the earth, to put in your home. I explain that since the heat already exists, we don't use electricity to generate the heat, just to pump it from one place to another. I move on to explain the benefits of this method of heating your home: lower electricity costs, unlimited access to a renewable energy source, air conditioning in the summer, free hot water, and, typical pay back period for a homeowner (four to six years without a grant).

Generally by this part of the discussion, the homeowner is starting to look very excited. This individual may even exclaim that this is "A great idea!" and, "Why doesn't everyone have one of these?"

This is an excellent question; why doesn't every homeowner have a geothermal heat pump installed in their home? The economics of the device are compelling, the government incentives in place in Canada and the United States are impressive, and with the recent attention given to the high pollution levels of both countries, the fact that this machine emits no green house gases itself is simply an added bonus to an already great proposition. (Some might argue that the energy source this machine uses is probably highly polluting, but since the machine uses 1/3 the energy of an average electric baseboard heated home it is still ahead of the game. Alternatively the homeowner could purchase their power from a green power source such as Bullfrog Power for 100 percent guilt-free electricity consumption.)

This story is not unfamiliar. The electric car has faced a similar plight. The documentary Who Killed the Electric Car (2006) outlines GM's introduction of the EV1, an electric car that soon garnered a cult following due to its speed, versatility, long range and low cost. The documentary takes a sad turn when GM refuses to renew the leases of these cars, halts production, and unceremoniously crushes the existing vehicles, despite the cries of frustration from their drivers.

While the EV was considered a godsend to the few consumers who managed to lease one, it posed a problem to its manufacturer. Particularly, the EV1 did not require fuel in the form of gas, which required far less servicing and general maintenance. In other words, the EV1 did not provide lasting cash flow to the manufacturer or other business interests.

The geothermal heat pump faces the same problems. Once the machine is installed, it requires almost no maintenance. There is no fuel to refill, and no servicing required. The system itself could run up to 30 years without problems, and the ground loop will last the life of the house. Once this product is installed, it is not continuously profitable like other heat sources such as oil or natural gas.

So has the geothermal heat pump fallen victim to other, more powerful business entities that are interested in preserving the status quo? It is true that the industry is growing as consumers become more familiar with the concept, however in the over 30 years that Maritime Geothermal Ltd has been manufacturing heat pumps, this growth is considered very recent. No certain statements can be made about the cause of the slow growth associated with this stellar product. Yet it still remains a puzzle to industry professionals that, despite their best efforts, geothermal heat pumps remain on the outskirts of the industry.