The Understandable Confusion

Since "geo" means rock and "thermal" means heat, and since ground source heating is the extraction of heat (thermal) from the top 100m of the Earth (geo), the term "geothermal energy" has been used for a long time to describe ground source energy. So it's not surprising there is some confusion. The term "ground source energy", however, can not be used to describe energy which is sourced from the Earth's core, the Earth's mantel.

Real Geothermal

Real geothermal energy is energy tapped from the heat generated by the Earth's central molten core. In Iceland whole townships are heated using the geothermal heat from subterranean volcanic systems. At a geothermal power station, the superheated water from aquifers is pumped up to the surface, and allowed to flash into steam which turns turbines, which in turn drive electricity generators. See also wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heating

Heat From Ground Is Heat From The Sun

The term "ground source energy" does not describe heating which comes from the Earth's molten core. True ground source energy comes from the Sun! A Ground Source Heat Pump is used to extract the heat from the top 100 metres of the Earth's surface, which has been heated by the heat from the Sun, and which remains a constant temperature all year round.

Large Scale Commercial Installations

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