Comparison shopping.

**sala7** · 12-07-2009, 12:48 PM

We are planning on building in a community where natural gas runs about $1.50 / ccf (total: delivered and taxed) and electric is running about 6 cents / kwh. The electric is from Niagara Falls, NY and so I'm having trouble finding an upside to the going green or cost / pay back of using Geothermal and / or solar systems in the new construction. The lot has a deep pond with continuous feed from surface water. The location is souther tier of western NY (South of Buffalo). Any comments or suggestions?

**beenthere** · 12-07-2009, 01:53 PM

As long as your electric rate is that cheap. Hard to get a pay back on a Geo.

**cnoe88** · 12-07-2009, 03:43 PM

If your pond is deep enough you can sink the loop in it, which makes the geo alot more affordable than having to trench or go vertical. Plus with the geo you will get a 30% uncapped tax credit which really helps on you ROI

**fsq4cw** · 12-07-2009, 08:22 PM

So, if you install a geothermal unit with a COP of ~4, your heating will cost you ~1.5¢/Kw of heat. Nat. gaz won’t cool your house.

SR

**sala7** · 12-07-2009, 09:30 PM

I'd like to see the calculations on how ROI is figured. 1.5 cents (how do you get a cents sign?) is an attractive number if we live there for the next 40 years which could be possible (we're late 40's & earlie 50's) so...

I know just enough to keep asking questions. Where should I look to get a better education on this before building?

**beenthere** · 12-07-2009, 09:40 PM

Get a couple estimates. And ask them for cost pay back/ROI projections.

Since an air to air. At a COP of 1.5(and that would be a very low COP for a new air to air heat pump) would give you a heating cost of .04 cents per KW.

You would probably be able to get an average COP of 2 to 2.3 from an air to air.

**fsq4cw** · 12-08-2009, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by sala7

I'd like to see the calculations on how ROI is figured. 1.5 cents (how do you get a cents sign?) is an attractive number if we live there for the next 40 years which could be possible (we're late 40's & earlie 50's) so...

I know just enough to keep asking questions. Where should I look to get a better education on this before building?

I’m just saying that’s what a kW of heating would cost. Crunch the numbers any way that suits you.

Regarding "¢", I can tell you how to do it if you’re on a Mac. If you’re on a PC, I’m not sure…

SR