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Geothermal Comfort, Investing in Savings

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) geothermal systems are, "the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available today." Extremely high levels of efficiency are possible because a geothermal heat pump only uses electricity to move heat, not produce it. Most systems also include a hot water generator, which diverts a portion of the supplied heat to the domestic water heater. This provides a substantial portion of a family's hot water needs at a very low cost. Overall, geothermal technology offers the highest cooling and heating efficiencies of any system available today.
Geothermal technology is lowest in CO2 emissions, it provides natural energy of the earth. EarthPure® (R-410A) zero ozone depletion refrigerant is available for ClimateMaster geothermal heat pumps for an even friendlier system. In January 2006 the U.S. Federal government changed the minimum efficiency for air conditioners to 13 SEER from the previous minimum requirement of 10 SEER. Geothermal systems are up to twice the minimum required efficiency! As efficiency ratings increase, operating costs decrease. Because now electricity is so much cheaper than fossil fuels, now is the time to consider electric technologies like geothermal heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water needs. Even a high efficiency natural gas furnace with a high efficiency air conditioner is still nearly twice the operation costs as a geothermal system. Since these comparisons are for new equipment (i.e. standard efficiencies = 13 SEER efficiency for air conditioner and 80% AFUE efficiency for furnaces), comparisons to existing equipment being replaced by a geothermal system would be even more dramatic. If the existing air conditioner is older, it may have an efficiency of between 8 and 10 SEER. Older furnaces could be as low as 65-70% efficient.
source: climateMaster, Inc. 2004