Geothermal or aerothermal? Discover what suits your needs

In Spain, electricity bills have skyrocketed in the last decade. And while supply prices have risen, the need to invest in clean energy has become clearer in Europe. It is no longer enough to have climate-controlled homes; it is about investing in sustainability and achieving acomfortable home that is respectful of the environment. That is why there are modern and sustainable energy solutions such asgeothermal andaerothermal.

The Passivhaus standard and passive houses are an example of a good investment in clean energy. In that case, energy recovery systems are used. Precisely, the only mechanical system installed in passive houses isaerothermal. One of the two green solutions to achieveenergy and comfort ecologically that we are discussing today.

Theaerothermal system is a technological system that reuses energy from the air and can heat water or a room using cold air from outside. It also works the other way around in summer. Most of the energy it generates is completely clean, and the rest is from electricity.

Thegeothermal system, on the other hand, extracts energy stored as heat a few meters below the earth's surface, where the temperature is usually constant, whether summer or winter. For this, it uses a heat pump.

Both systems are energy sustainable and clear examples of where the sector should go. Which of the two is better in each situation?

Aerothermal; ecological and economical ventilation

Theaerothermal system efficiently extracts energy from the outside air using a heat pump. It is a way to reuse outdoor air, regardless of how cold it is, to heat the space or the water.

Theaerothermal system extracts energy contained in the outside air to convert it into heat inside the home, which is technically known as a refrigeration method. It even works while the outside temperature is below zero.

According to manufacturers, withaerothermal, it is possible to achieve up to 78% completely free and recycled energy. The rest will be from electricity consumption, and it will never come from fossil fuels. On the other hand, the pump used for themechanical ventilation system is also renewable. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most prepared methods forenergy efficiency.

Geothermal; energy from the earth

It is undoubtedly a different ecological alternative thanaerothermal ventilation. Which of the two might work better in each situation? Which system best fits everyone's needs?

It will depend on many factors, such as the location of the house and the type of housing. For example,aerothermal works in many temperature situations. But in very cold winters, it may not have enough power.

• Bothgeothermal andaerothermal are renewable and ecological energies. Both options will significantly reduce the electricity bill or other supplies.
• In terms of energy efficiency, both options use a heat pump to produce cold or hot air and also to provide water at a comfortable temperature. The difference is thataerothermal energy will depend a lot on how temperatures change. If it is too cold or very hot, it won't have enough strength. In cases of extreme climates,geothermal is more practical, as the energy extracted from the ground varies very little with changing climates. It withstands harsh sub-zero winters better.
• Regarding installation costs, surelyaerothermal is much cheaper. In this method, it is only necessary to install theventilation system and have a pump and a unit outside the building. Geothermal, on the other hand, needs to move earth to capture energy and drill into the ground. It is a much more expensive installation process.
• In terms of necessary maintenance, this is wheregeothermal can boast about its little maintenance requirement despite its larger installation. Once all the equipment is buried underground, this part does not need to be checked again. The rest of the maintenance, the pumps, costs the same ingeothermal solutions as inaerothermal solutions.Both solutions require the same checks. Once installed, there are no differences in that variable expense.
• Regarding the amortization of the initial investment, theaerothermal system is much quicker in achieving that the expense has been amortized. In about two to three years, it has been achieved, while the high installation cost ofgeothermal means that it takes many more years to achieve that the initial expense has been amortized.