The Odd Couple: Solar and Geothermal!
Richard Williams
Principal of Phaethon Research for Clean Energy and Arethusa Investing In Clean Water
The Odd Couple was a classic sitcom and Broadway show of the 1970s. It portrayed two bachelors sharing a home. One was extremely neat cultured and organized, while the other was the opposite trending towards Fred Flintstone! Sometimes Solar and Geothermal can be The Odd Couple with one providing heat and other removing heat. But They one up the TV show because Solar and Geothermal can switch roles!
The might, power and permanence of the sun is self evident to all privileged to live even for just a little while on this earth!
Geothermal, on the other hand, is something first seen in films about Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone Park, except the few who grew up near hot springs
At first glance, solar and geothermal seem to be merely alternate forms of renewable heat energy! The major difference is geothermal heat is constant, while solar is intermittent.
However stepping up to an understanding of how to use solar and geothermal perform work (force times distance) or move heat to from location to another, both solar and geothermal can be used to reduce heat or remove heat to produce a desired temperature. The obvious example of solar cooling is the use of photons that simulates the movement of electrons (force time distance) in a circuit. Moving electrons can be used by motor in air conditioner or refrigerator to move heat and remove heat.
Geothermal cooling accomplishes movement of heat from place designated as too hot to a place in the ground which has significant temperature differential and has heat transfer properties. an example is a house that is too hot at 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 10 feet underground which has temperature between 50 -60 degrees. When heat transfer fluid touches house temperature, heat is transferred from the house to the, The fluid accepts the heat and has a second exchange with cold air. The fluid loses heat to the air in the ground . The newly cold pipe can accept from the house again.
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Geothermal can be a chameleon when the desire is to add heat. Below shows a reverse flow where heat is returned to the house from the ground. Though not power or heating source are shown in the above and below diagrams, It would be easy to add solar pV to the roof! Thus create a heating and cooling application for the Odd couple!
Both aspects of geothermal, heating and cooling at uses in Muhammad Ali International Airport
Now there is a new application for the Odd Couple : irrigation canals covered with Photovoltaics aka Solar Canal or Canal top PV. The idea behind the solar canal is to lower costs of installation of PV by eliminating land simultaneously shading the Canal with PV. Here the shaded water is too hot and thus heat needs to be removed and sent to the ground. The solar canals are new in the USA! As of now, no Solar Canal has employed our Odd Couple. However, we plan to get them working soon!