| For most homeowners, up to 70 percent of a | | | | rain, air pollution, the greenhouse effect and global |
| home's total energy bill goes toward heating, | | | | warming-problems directly linked to the burning of |
| cooling and hot water-so the biggest opportunity | | | | fossil fuels. |
| to save large amounts of money on their energy | | | | A typical 2,500-square-foot home with a |
| bills is to increase the efficiency of these systems. | | | | geothermal system saves the electric utility |
| To do this, homeowners across America are | | | | company from having to burn more than nine |
| turning to geothermal heating systems. | | | | additional tons of coal a year, compared to an |
| Geothermal systems, such as the Envision series | | | | electric resistance heating system. |
| by WaterFurnace, capitalize on the solar energy | | | | The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that |
| stored year-round just beneath the Earth's | | | | if geothermal systems were installed by most |
| surface. | | | | people, they could save several billion dollars |
| This free geothermal energy is an unlimited, | | | | annually in energy costs and substantially reduce |
| renewable resource. And, according to an EPA | | | | pollution. |
| study titled "Space Conditioning, The Next | | | | For every 100,000 residential units installed, it is |
| Frontier" (Report 430-R-93-004), the Department | | | | the equivalent of planting 100,000 acres of trees |
| of Energy and the EPA recognized geothermal | | | | or taking 200,000 cars permanently off the road |
| systems as the most environmentally friendly, | | | | in terms of greenhouse gas reduction. |
| cost-effective and energy-efficient heating and | | | | Geothermal heat pumps strengthen U.S. energy |
| cooling technology available. | | | | security. Every 100,000 homes with geothermal |
| By reducing the demand on electric utilities, the | | | | heat pump systems reduce foreign oil |
| need for new power plants is reduced, along with | | | | consumption by 2.15 million barrels annually and |
| a reduced need for natural resources such as coal | | | | reduce electricity consumption by 799 million |
| or gas used to generate electricity. These | | | | kilowatt-hours annually. |
| systems also help minimize the threats of acid | | | | |