Answer to Question #85607 in General Chemistry for Olawale

Question

A geothermal system is initially more expensive to set up than a conventional heating and cooling system, but the annual operating costs are much cheaper. a) How many years would it take for the geothermal system to pay for itself? Assume that you are looking to install a new system, and that you can obtain a government grant to do so. Use the costs below. Show all of your calculations. (5 marks) Installation Costs • geothermal system: $20 000 • conventional system: $3500 • government grant for geothermal installation: $7000 Operating Costs • geothermal: $100/month • conventional: $150/month, plus $400/yr for air conditioning b) From an environmental perspective, describe two other advantages of switching to a geothermal system. (2 marks)

Answer 1

In recent decades, the active livelihoods of people who meet their needs, began a very negative impact on nature, the environment. And thermal power plants played a significant role in this process. At the same time, the society began to understand that the resources of nature are not infinite, which is why in recent years they began to introduce analogues of heat supply sources. One of these alternative ways to heat a house is geothermal heating. The system is simple and effective, and you can do it yourself. Note that geothermal heating in the US and European countries has become the main source of heat, but in Russia today it is considered only as an alternative to gas, electric, solid fuel and other types of heating. Very soon, geothermal heating will become the main, because reviews suggest that it is a cost-effective way to heat your home without harm to the environment and to your advantage.