Originally published December 1 2005
Ground source heat pumps catching on in Scotland
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Scotsman explains the utility of a ground source heat pump, which uses the earth's crust to heat water, an economic and environmentally friendly energy alternative.
For a few minutes, we all seem slightly baffled as Peter and his wife Mhairi attempt to explain the sight before us.
Called a ground source heat pump, it is the centrepiece of the couple's new energy-saving home in Cramond - which is both better for the environment and more economical.
What looks like a fridge freezer beside the pipes is the pump itself, which propels water deep into the ground and then back up again through pipes in two boreholes.
Peter, 62, says: "By using natural geothermal energy to heat the liquid by 10C we are effectively getting four units of energy for the price of one."
The first thing that strikes you about the Taylors' house is the Louvre glass pyramid-style conservatory on one side, with ten solar panels on each side of the slanting roof.
The second is the fantastic view from their home across to the Forth - which was one of the key inspirations for building an energy-saving house in the first place.
The walls, which are made from energy saving materials like compressed recycled paper and polystyrene, create what is known as a "nil heat" house - one which is so well insulated that it barely needs heating.
Because they don't know yet if it will produce all the electricity they need the Taylors have opted for the power generated by the panels on their home to be transferred straight into the national grid.
In return they receive cheaper electricity from their supplier, expecting a saving of around �200 a year on electricity bills - which sounds good except when the price of installing the energy-saving equipment is taken into consideration.
The pump alone cost �12,000 including creating the bore holes, while the solar panels cost a hefty �35,000.
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