Geothermal energy is a form of clean, renewable energy being used to lessen the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. Though currently less popular than solar and wind energy, geothermal is having a breakthrough moment and it has become a key part of how businesses and homes across the United States are reducing their energy costs and becoming more sustainable. In fact, geothermal capacity is predicted to increase 20-fold by 2050, generating 10% of electricity in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy (DoE). 

In this blog post, we will explain what geothermal energy is, how it works for businesses, and the advantages of using this natural resource to heat and power buildings.  

What is geothermal energy?

While solar panels use the energy produced by the sun, geothermal energy utilizes heat that is produced underground by the Earth's core. This heat can be used to warm buildings or converted to electricity to use as power. It is widely available and usable year-round, as the ground remains at a constant temperature even during significant weather fluctuations. Best of all, geothermal energy is cheaper than traditional energy sources.   

How geothermal energy works for businesses

Geothermal energy is ideal for heating and cooling commercial buildings, and geothermal heat pumps are the technology that allows businesses to harness this energy. In the cold seasons, these pumps use refrigerant to bring up heat from the ground that then translates into warm indoor air. In hot months, the same exchange happens in the opposite direction, removing heat from the indoor air and sending it below ground.  

Geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient heating and cooling systems available on the market today, with lower energy usage, lower maintenance cost, and longer life expectancy than other energy sources. For businesses, that means geothermal systems are not only sustainable, but a smart way to reduce operating costs. 

Advantages of geothermal energy

Renewable energy

Businesses are concerned more and more about their carbon footprint and increasing sustainability. Utilizing a renewable energy resource like geothermal is an extremely impactful way to improve your overall sustainability and get closer to achieving net zero carbon emissions.  

High efficiency

Geothermal energy systems are highly efficient, meaning they can provide a lot of energy for little cost and effort. And because the energy is available to use around the clock 365 days a year (unlike other renewable energy sources), it can provide a constant stream of energy to reduce reliance on energy from the grid.  

Long life cycle

A huge benefit of geothermal energy is that the technology used to access it is built to last for a very long time. According to the DoE, geothermal heat pump systems have an average life expectancy of more than 20 years for the heat pump itself, and 25 to 50 years for the underground infrastructure. That means once your business has a geothermal system installed, you will not have to worry about it for decades to come.  

Low maintenance

Part of the reason geothermal energy systems last for such a long time is that most of their infrastructure lives underground and is therefore not subject to external damage or wear and tear caused by the elements. This also makes them relatively low maintenance, and geothermal systems only require simple regular inspections by professionals to make sure they are operating well and optimizing energy savings.  

Disadvantages of geothermal energy

Location dependent

There are only a few disadvantages to geothermal energy. One is that while it is widely available across the U.S., the location of your business will impact whether or not you can install the technology needed to access the underground resource. Geothermal heat pumps can be buried under driveways, yards, or fields, and pipes are installed so they are not visible, making them usable almost anywhere. But in certain rare cases, it may not be a possibility. An expert should be able to audit your facility and determine if it will work for your location.    

High upfront costs

Installing geothermal heat pump technology can be expensive, even though once installed geothermal energy has very low operating costs and provides a highly efficient energy resource. Despite these long-term benefits, though, many business owners will not be able to supply the capital necessary to take on a geothermal energy project, or they will want to save the cash for more pressing business needs.  

Luckily for business owners, there is a way to access geothermal energy and energy savings without having to supply any upfront capital.  

When you partner with Budderfly, we provide a suite of energy saving solutions and technologies to lower energy consumption, improve efficiency, and reduce operating costs – all at no upfront cost to the business. Geothermal energy and other renewables are a vital part of our energy savings system, and we have even installed geothermal at our own Budderfly warehouse.  

To learn more about geothermal energy, how it can benefit your business, and how to become more sustainable without any costs or hassle, contact one of our energy experts today.