Infographic: Geothermal Cuts Costs and Carbon

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) transfer heat from the ground by circulating water (or an antifreeze solution in places where it is cold) through pipes underground. The technology is not only efficient but doesn’t use fuel of any kind, so it produces zero emissions. 

According to Oak Ridge Laboratory’s, “Grid Cost and Total Emissions Reductions Through Mass Deployment of Geothermal Heat Pumps for Building Heating and Cooling Electrification in the United States,” when single family homes employ GHPs and weatherization, there are substantial reductions in grid costs and carbon dioxide reductions. 

The report modeled each of three scenarios with and without GHP deployment to a significant percentage of U.S. building floor space. In all cases, the deployment of about five million GHPs per year demonstrated system cost savings on the grid, consumer fuel cost savings through eliminated fuel combustion for space heating, and CO₂ emission reductions from avoided onsite fuel combustion.