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Energy
Conservation News September 1998
Heating
Your House with Drinking Water
The
breakthrough technology for unlocking the recognized environmental
economic benefits of geothermal energy may be represented
in patents announced this month by Hardin Geotechnologies,
LLC (PO Box 53770, Indianapolis, IN 46253-0770; Tel: 800/880-8395).
Dubbed "the Microsoft of geothermal technology,"
Hardin Geotech’s GURLsystem (geothermal utility return
line) is conceptually simple and provides the working system
for gaining the value of the energy existing in the local
water utility system without affecting the safety of the
water supply. The water utility sells geothermal energy
in competition with gas and electrical utilities.
It
is hoped that the GURLsystem will prove to be the technology
that allows the U.S. to meet its commitment to the "global
warming" treaty. The trademarked GURLsystem has been
given positive review by the EPA. Comanche, Oklahoma, the
first city in the nation to purchase a GURLsystem installation,
began construction on the system in June 1998. The city
Utility Division and the public school system are working
with Illinova Energy and Hardin Geotech to install a GURLsystem
that will utilize potable water utility systems for their
ground source energy potential.
The
GURLsystem installation is expected to accrue many benefits
for the city. the Comanche schools will benefit from a heating
and cooling system with what is expected to be the lowest
operating cost in the state of Oklahoma. The schools will
get additional economic for their ongoing improvement plans.
the city will be able to offer low-cost energy to business
and industry relocating to Comanche. Existing homeowners
and businesses will benefit from this low-cost energy source
once they tie into the system. It is projected that the
user will save 20% to 40% on conventional energy bills.
The Comanche installation will support more than 3,000 tons
of cooling and equivalent heating.
Past
attempts to use a water utility system for its geothermal
or ground source potential suffered from lack of capacity,
threatened safety of the potable water system and other
problems. The patent (U.S. No. 5,727,621) GURLsystem solves
these problems with large capacity and enhanced safety features,
including the following:
-
Water can be returned to a pretreatment stage before going
back to the water plant for the ultimate in safety;
- Saves
20 to 40% of conventional utility bills;
- Results
in lower maintenance costs;
- Flexible,
easy to add or remove equipment;
- Uses
less space for equipment;
- Reduces
start-up costs with reduced need for equipment such as
geothermal wells, boilers, and cooling towers; and
- Eliminates
the need for water treatment by users.
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