Geothermal Energy: Is the Ground Warm Enough?

There has been much interest in the use of ground source heat pumps in the UK in recent years as a result of the need to reduce carbon emissions. This is not new technology but it is relatively new to the UK. The increase in energy costs, improvements in technology and the introduction of legislation leading to zero carbon buildings have all driven this agenda forward. The use of ground as a source of heat has received a further boost with the introduction of feed in tariffs and carbon reduction commitments in 2010. Therefore this talk will start with an introduction to the drivers that are making ground as a source of heat/cooling a viable option. This will be followed by a discussion on the thermal properties of the ground highlighting the parameters that influence those properties. The final section will cover the innovative systems being introduced to maximise this new use of energy highlighting international practice for domestic and non domestic buildings.

Speaker

Professor Barry Clarke (University of Leeds)

The presentation by Barry Clarke is now available to download below: