Is it economically feasible to heat with geothermal energy in Ma or Rhode Island?

Question

Is it economically feasible to heat with geothermal energy in Ma or Rhode Island?

Answer 1

How long do you plan on owning your house?   You won't make up the money the first year, but given 8-10 years you probably will at least break even if oil/electricity prices don't go up before then.   Plus the added benefit if you sell the house.

Answer 2

Do you mean by tapping a direct source of geothermal heat, or by employing a geothermal heat pump.  The first is only viable when the heat source is close to the surface and readily accessable, for example in Iceland, where much of the heating is done using naturally occuring hot springs.  Probably not feasible in MA or RI.

If you mean using a geothermal heat pump, these are not economically viable anywhere since the cost of these devices over a conventional heating system is so high, it can never be recovered through the energy savings (in economics speak, they have a negative NPV).

Answer 3

There would have to be some volcanic activity beneath these states before geothermal energy could be generated. The other way would be artificial generation of water (sea water being plentiful) to give intense heat. Otherwise economically it is not feasible.

Spartawo...

Answer 4

geothermal is possible practically everywhere, and is indeed economically viable;

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/geoth...

so are domestic ground source heat pumps;

http://www.cat.org.uk/information/catinf...