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In a solar thermal power system, approximately 1/3 of the heat generated by the sun is turned into electrical power. Geothermal storage increases overall efficiency by taking the remaining 2/3 of solar heat and making it available for facility heating, industrial process heating, or long-term “heat bank” storage.
Heat banks are typically constructed by excavating an area near a building, then laying in connected tubes filled with solar-heated fluid. Heat radiates from the tubes to the surrounding earthen bed, which ultimately warms the building’s foundation.
Studies in Europe & Canada have shown that within 2-3 years, heat banks begin to return value in the form of lower heating bills. This is a critical energy storage strategy that will tip the scales in favor or solar thermal power in Northern regions.
In the South, excess solar heat can be transformed into cooling. This means adding another step in concentrating solar thermal systems, which reduces system efficiency to some degree. Nevertheless, you can’t beat 1 kW of electrical power plus AC generated by Free Energy from the Sun when everyone around you is over their head in utility bills - or stuck with unreliable grid power!
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In the works!
DIY
mini-geothermal furnace
How-to photos & plans of our mini-geothermal indoor heat storage furnace project.
To heat the thermal mass, this experimental design will use:
- Biomass combustion
- Solar concentrator heat
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