In Minnesota, a geothermal innovation revives interest in systems’ potential

722 Last modified by the author on 02/07/2020 - 09:46
In Minnesota, a geothermal innovation revives interest in systems’ potential

A startup company is beginning to market geothermal systems that circulate heat from shallow aquifers.

A heat exchange technology developed at the University of Minnesota could help shrink the cost and footprint of geothermal heating and cooling systems.

Unlike conventional geothermal, which circulates ground heat found far below the surface, the approach taps into aquifers using fewer, shallower wells.

A startup company, Darcy Solutions, has begun pitching the product to commercial and industrial businesses in the Twin Cities.

Geothermal only heats and cools a small fraction of buildings in Minnesota and across the country. Customers tend to be schools, governments, senior communities, or other long-term property owners capable of making a substantial investment with a payback period that could take a decade or more. Yet the systems’ low carbon output and efficiency compared to other heating and cooling options remain for some organizations a compelling reason to install systems. (...) Read more

 

Article published on Renewable Energy World

Photo credit : Photo by Joey Clover on Unsplash

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