Powerful Living DEEP D By Mary Logan Wolf C


lackety-clack oil pump jacks, the fl are of natural gas wells, towering wind turbines, and the round,


hot sun. With these energy re- sources clamoring for public atten- tion, it’s little wonder Oklahoma homeowners overlook the more abundant natural resource—and it’s right below their feet. That buried treasure is geother- mal energy, created by Mother Earth’s steady belowground tem- perature of 55 to 59 degrees and harnessed through an electrically powered system known as the geo- thermal heat pump. The technolo- gy works via a series of loops buried in the ground, or run into a well, pond or lake, that act as heat exchangers, drawing heat from the earth in the winter to warm the home and removing heat from it in the summer. For years, Oklahoma electric


8 WWW.OKL.COOP N FOR ENERGY SOLUTIONS


An innovative co-op partnership is making geothermal heat pumps affordable for more homeowners—and changing their energy future.


cooperatives have offered rebates, low-interest loans, and even installa- tion services to encourage members to install geothermal systems. Clean, green and quiet, the Department of Energy reports geothermal heat pumps use from 25 to 50 percent less energy than traditional heating and cooling systems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency touts geothermal as “the most effi cient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space condi- tioning system available.” Despite the high praises, less than 2 percent of Oklahoma homeowners use geother- mal heat pumps. Two Oklahoma electric co-ops, in partnership with their cooperative owned generation and transmission fa- cility, hope to change that statistic by eliminating what they claim is the big- gest barrier to consumer acceptance— installation costs. To entice members to choose geothermal, CKenergy Electric Cooperative in Binger and Kiamichi Electric Cooperative in Wilburton pay for the cost of installing the ground


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