is currently being build in the northwest suburbs of Chicagoland.
Elgin.
FYI
Quote:
Originally Posted by honte
The process is basically as I said in the first post. You dig a well and let the earth regulate the temperature before returning the water to the river. But in Chicago that sounds mighty strange, because the water table is so high anyway. Maybe there is a tube and the water is pumped back down... ? It's not making a lot of sense to me.... hence the reason I question the whole thing.
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Your answer lies below.
http://thefutureofsherman.com/energy_faq.php
A view from Sherman Hospital's Geothermal LakeGeothermal energy is energy that is derived from the temperature of the earth. The earth absorbs 50 percent of all solar energy, and traps it as heat just below the frost line. Using a heat pump, this natural and renewable resource trapped below the earth's surface is transformed into a harnessable form of energy. This energy --geothermal energy-- provides buildings with a dependable, eco-friendly and economic heating and cooling system.
Geothermal heating and cooling technology has been given the best rating by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Geothermal energy is a renewable resource, and doesn't deplete non-renewable resources.
Geothermal energy does not produce any form of pollution. And, it doesn't contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Buildings that use geothermal energy use up to 40% less energy than other high-efficiency buildings.
Geothermal energy requires no outside sources of fuel to keep the power houses running.
According to a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report issued on Oct. 12, 2005, heating bills for all fuel types will cost Americans about one-third more during the 2005-2006 winter, on average. Projected rates for the Midwest are up to 61 percent higher than last year. With significantly rising energy costs, geothermal energy provides a cost-effective alternative for heating and cooling.
Sherman Hospital plans to build one of the largest geothermal lakes in the world. Unlike other forms of geothermal technology, geothermal lakes rely on the heating and cooling properties of water.
Construction of Great River Medical Center’s Geothermal Lake, West Burlington, Iowa: Installation of Grids and Pipe CoilsThe temperature at the bottom of the lake--a constant 55°F--will be the heating and cooling source for the hospital. The energy for the hospital will be harnessed by a lake loop-heat pump system under the water.
Sherman's geothermal lake will provide energy-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation, resulting in increased patient comfort and safety. The lake will make Sherman one of the most energy-efficient health care facilities in the country. It also will help Sherman to significantly reduce operating costs
Sherman's geothermal lake will be one of the largest - if not the largest -lake loop heat-pump systems in the world.
Sherman will be the first hospital in Illinois to build a geothermal lake.
The geothermal lake is projected to decrease Sherman's gas and electric costs by nearly $1 million annually, compared to the energy costs of its current campus.
The geothermal lake will allow Sherman flexibility to grow. It is easy to expand the geothermal system when the hospital grows.
The lake will help Sherman create a therapeutic atmosphere. The lake will have a fish population and a fish feeding dock for patients and visitors.
The lake will be safe. Sherman does not expect safety issues with its lake, but as an added safety feature, Sherman's lake will have a shallow shelf around the edge of the lake.
A view from Great River Medical Center's Geothermal LakeThe geothermal lake is a fiscally responsible choice for Sherman. With rapidly rising energy costs, using an alternative energy source is a smart choice to manage the hospital's energy costs in the future.
Sherman already had plans to build a six-to seven-acre water retention lake on the replacement hospital site, so building a geothermal lake is a logical and easy extension of those plans.
Starting from a blank slate presented an excellent opportunity for Sherman to incorporate geothermal technology into the plans for the replacement hospital.
It is very difficult for buildings to convert to geothermal after a building has been constructed, which is one of the reasons the technology is not more prevalent across the country today.
Sherman's 154-acre replacement hospital site has plenty of room for a 15-acre lake.
Sherman's due diligence period showed that one other hospital in the country has embraced geothermal technology on a large scale. Great River Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa built a geothermal lake five years ago. In addition to being recognized as one of the most environmentally-friendly hospitals in the country,
Great River has saved more than $1 million annually over the cost of heating and cooling its old campus. Sherman Hospital is committed to being one of the most energy-efficient hospitals in the country.
Sherman's plans to build one of the largest geothermal lakes in the world will help the hospital achieve its goal. Sherman is doing its part to make a cleaner, brighter future.
As modern as the word "geothermal" may seem, its roots date back as far as 10,000 years ago when an ancient Indian culture tapped into the natural resource of hot springs. The United States first capitalized on geothermal energy in the early 1800s. The first commercial use? Three spring-fed baths in the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1830.
Geothermal technology is a dependable, proven technology with many uses around the world. Geothermal power plants are producing electricity in more than two countries, supplying about 60 million people with energy. In the U.S., geothermal technology supplies 4 million people in the Western U.S. and Hawaii with energy. More than 500 schools across the U.S. have adopted geothermal technology.