How does geothermal heating work for buildings?

Geothermal heating uses underground thermal energy derived from Earth's formation and radioactive decay for space heating, bathing, and industrial processes. Even in colder locations, ground source heat pumps can extract steady subterranean warmth to efficiently heat and cool buildings. Humans have utilized this direct energy source since Paleolithic times, and today it plays a growing role in district heating networks.

What we know

• Geothermal heating involves the direct use of geothermal energy for applications like space heating, bathing, industrial processes, and agriculture. [2, 3]
• Geothermal energy originates from heat retained since the planet's formation, radioactive decay, and solar energy absorbed at the surface. [2, 3]
• Below 6 metres depth, undisturbed ground temperature remains at the mean annual air temperature, allowing ground source heat pumps to extract heat. [2, 5]
• By 2010, an estimated 28 gigawatts of geothermal capacity provided heat worldwide for various applications including district heating and spas. [3]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow do ground source heat pumps operate?
• the bigger pictureWhat is district heating?
• a case in pointHow is electricity generated from geothermal sources?
• compared withHow do air-source and ground-source heat pumps compare in efficiency?
• whenHow did Paleolithic humans use geothermal heat?
• an unexpected connectionHow does nuclear power relate to district heating?Nuclear power plant electricity generation produces waste heat that can be distributed through district heating systems alongside geothermal energy.

Sources

• [1]geothermal heating (Wikidata Q10577628) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Geothermal heating · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Geothermal energy · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]District heating · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Ground source heat pump · CC BY-SA 4.0