Category:Geothermal drilling

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Geothermal Drilling is the process of creating boreholes in the earth to extract the earth's heat. In the western United States, direct geothermal systems have borehole temperatures ranging from 150 - 300 degrees Fahrenheit. These are direct Geothermal Systems that utilize the heat for large heating/boiler applications or power generation.

The other Geothermal drilling is the heat pump form of geothermal. This is where a driller will drill 4 or 6 inch boreholes down to about 250 feet, and install a heat exchange loop. Water passing through the loop is warmed by the natural heat of the earth to about 52 degrees Fahrenheit then run through a heat pump where the heat is extracted and distributed through the home or building.

The cost for geothermal drilling varies depending on location and the driller. On average the drilling cost between $15 and $20 a foot. In upstate New York the average Geothermal well cost $3,500 each to drill. A 2,500 sqft home will need three wells to create a full heating and cooling system.