Ground-source Energy

Ground-source energy (also known as shallow geothermal energy) is the energy stored in the ground due to the sun’s radiation. The temperature at depths of around 1.5 m is near constant throughout the year, typically ranging from 7-12 °C in Northern Europe.

To extract this energy, heat transfer fluid is circulated through underground pipes and heated by the surrounding soil. A ground-source heat pump (GSHP) then takes this temperature difference and converts it into useable energy for heating and cooling a building. A well-designed ground-source heat pump offers a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) of between 3-4, which means for every 1 unit of electricity used by the heat pump, around 3-4 units of renewable energy are generated. Ideally, a heat pump is combined with underfloor heating and a highly insulated building for optimum performance.