between 5 and 10 years

When you ride a bicycle, several things happen that require energy and it’s transformation. You pedaling the bike is transforming chemical energy, supplied by the breakdown of the food you eat, into mechanical energy to turn the pedals. The chemical energy is potential and the mechanical energy is kinetic.

According to the Wikipedia online encyclopaedia, a 100 watt bulb is 2.1% efficient. In other words, it produces about 2 watts of light and 98 watts of heat. A halogen lamp is a bit better.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy has high initial capital costs.
• May release harmful gases.
• Suited to a particular region.
• Geothermal heat pumps have to be powered.
• Geothermal sites may experience a dry spell.
• Sustainability issues.
• Can cause surface instability.
• Extremely high temperatures required.

For a horizontal loop you only need to dig between 6 – 8 feet deep. For a vertical loop you need to drill between 250 and 300 feet deep.

On an average, a homeowner can expect to invest about $12,000 to $30,000 as geothermal heating and cooling cost. This cost would cover a complete geothermal installation. For large homes, the cost can range from $30,000 to $45,000 for high end ground source heat pump systems.

clay soils

One area is the use of geothermal energy in the oil sands. Some researchers believe the earth in northeastern Alberta is hot enough to use as a sort of “preheater” for major oil sands mines, which use 40-degree Celsius water to separate oil from sand.