Cold Climate Heat Pump vs Geothermal

The geothermal heat pump has appeared since the 1980s and is considered a mature technology. They operated well and saved a lot of funds for homeowners. Geothermal and air -source heat pumps use almost the same technical work, but the low energy costs in North America have caused the use of heat pump technology to be low, and this technology is more common in Europe and Asia. With the steady rise of energy costs in North America, the industry's investment in air source heat pumps has increased significantly, leading to a significant increase in the North American market. Due to economic feasibility reaching unprecedented heights, air source heat pumps are expected to be the next important supplement to North American renewable energy technology.

The introduction of the transmission compressor and EVI jet compressor reduces the working temperature of the cold climate heat pump to -30 C (-22 F). This is never an obstacle for the ground source heat pump, because below the frost line allows them to process the temperature of -30 to -40. The transmission compressor can be used for some geothermal units, but it is becoming the standard for cold climate heat pumps.

Installation cost is one of the biggest factor for the feasibility of renewable energy economy. In recent years, the average geothermal installation cost has declined, but for most families, it is still about $ 20,000. Systems of the same size using cold climate heat pumps can be installed below $ 10,000. With the advancement of technology, this price continues to decline with ASHP. In the end, geothermal owners will always face higher installation costs because they run the expensive approach of ground circuits, whether they use horizontal circuits or vertical circuits. The design of the single system used in the water heat pump is more cost -effective, and it can be done by DIY homeowners without any derivatives with a license.

COP comparison

In most cases, the COP of the geothermal heat pump is better than the air source heat pump, but the difference is not much. The increase in air source heat pump COP reduced the competition. The COP of the average AHRI geothermal unit is about 3.5 (closed loop), and the COP of the equivalent air source heat pump is about 3. The more you go south, the closer the performance of these two technologies. In a mild hot zone in central United States, the air source heat pump shows a stronger COP than the geothermal Heat Pumps, making it a popular choice.

Longevity

Because the cold climate heat pump is relatively new, it is almost comparable, but it can be said that the geothermal unit should be more durable than the air source heat pump because the ground source heat pump has a better operating environment. The geothermal unit is installed in it; therefore they are protected and are not affected by elements. However, the air source heat pump is built for the external environment. It uses a sealing connection and is designed to run under the cold climate more extreme than geothermal unit. In fact, as a new technology, it takes time to determine the degree of difference between the two heat pumps in terms of life.

In conclusion

The geothermal heat pump and the air source heat pump are good technologies, which can ensure the cost of heating and refrigeration for the owners. If you have a simple geothermal installation method, such as the lake ring with the lowest cost of well or installation, then this may be your better way.

Contact us

If you are looking for a geothermal system, you need to check all costs and compare it with the cost saved. Finally, the marginal energy saving of the ground source heat pump may never prove that the increase in installation costs is reasonable. We can only suggest that you study and talk to different installation personnel, because each installation will have different variables. We have been installing the geothermal system for many years, so please contact us at any time because we are happy to help you make a decision.