But of course we aren't. It's a mature, proven technology that could substantial decrease the energy we use on heating and cooling and it would also go a long way towards protecting the grid from seasonal overloads. What could be less sexy than that?
There are any number of boring, workable policies and technologies that couldn't get the attention of the press unless they showed up in a celebrity sex tape. There are some exceptions in the media -- ProPublica is strong and public radio (particularly Marketplace) has its moments -- but on the whole, an interest in solutions guarantees you'll never be one of the cool kids (but if you're reading a blog originally called Observational Epidemiology, cool was never really on the table).
From Wikipedia:
As of 2004, there are over a million units installed worldwide providing 12 GW of thermal capacity with a growth rate of 10% per year. Each year, about 80,000 units are installed in the US and 27,000 in Sweden. In Finland, a geothermal heat pump was the most common heating system choice for new detached houses between 2006 and 2011 with market share exceeding 40%.
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called ground source heat pumps the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available. Heat pumps offer significant emission reductions potential, particularly where they are used for both heating and cooling and where the electricity is produced from renewable resources.
GSHPs have unsurpassed thermal efficiencies and produce zero emissions locally, but their electricity supply includes components with high greenhouse gas emissions unless the owner has opted for a 100% renewable energy supply. Their environmental impact, therefore, depends on the characteristics of the electricity supply and the available alternatives.
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