Greenpeace Co-founder Voices His Support for Geothermal

Patrick Moore, the co-founder of Greenpeace made a compelling case for increased use of geothermal heat pumps in Canada as the keynote speaker at a geothermal symposium in Regina, Saskatchewan on Wednesday. Canada has the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the world but replacing natural gas furnaces with geothermal heat pumps could drastically reduce Canada’s carbon footprint.

Canada has seen a dramatic increase in the number of geothermal heat pump installations in recent years and for good reason; ground source heat pumps are one of the most efficient and economical ways to heat homes during the cold Canadian winter.

Because much of the energy consumed by a geothermal heat pump is renewable, they have the ability to greatly reduce green house gas emissions. According to Moore, in a typical Ontario home, 86 percent of the energy consumed is used for heating, cooling and hot water. Therefore, Moore said, “If you put in a geothermal heat pump, over half of the energy your home consumes is renewable.”

At the symposium, Moore even made a case for geothermal over solar panels. “Twenty thousand dollars invested in solar panels produces about $100 of energy per year. How many people would make an investment with that return?” Moore argued. “But $20,000 invested in geothermal produces about $1,300 worth of energy per year, so geothermal is 10 to 13 times more cost-effective than solar”

While solar panels and wind turbines may still be the popular trends among environmentalists,, Moore strongly believes that geothermal heat pumps will soon gain global acceptance. “Geothermal is going to become massively well-known around the world. It’s on the cusp of global awareness.

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