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Geothermal Greenhouse and Aquaculture Facilities A fish farm in Colorado. Greenhouses and aquaculture (fish farming) are the two primary uses of geothermal energy in the agribusiness industry. Thirty-eight greenhouses, many covering several acres, are raising vegetables, flowers, houseplants, and tree seedlings in 8 western states. Twenty-eight aquaculture operations are active in 10 states. Most greenhouse operators estimate that using geothermal resources instead of traditional energy sources saves about 80% of fuel costs — about 5% to 8% of total operating costs. The relatively rural location of most geothermal resources also offers advantages, including clean air, few disease problems, clean water, a stable workforce, and, often, low taxes. What is a ground source heat pump? Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are electrically powered systems that tap the stored energy of the greatest solar collector in existence: the earth. These systems use the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and commercial buildings.cartoon diagram of a geothermal system How do ground source heat pumps work? Ground source heat pumps can be categorized as having closed or open loops, and those loops can be installed in three ways: horizontally, vertically, or in a pond/lake. The type chosen depends on the available land areas and the soil and rock type at the installation site. These factors will help determine the most economical choice for installation of the ground loop. For closed loop systems, water or antifreeze solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath the earth's surface. During the winter, the fluid collects heat from the earth and carries it through the system and into the building. During the summer, the system reverses itself to cool the building by pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the system and placing it in the ground. This process creates free hot water in the summer and delivers substantial hot water savings in the winter. Open loop systems operate on the same principle as closed loop systems and can be installed where an adequate supply of suitable water is available and open discharge is feasible. Benefits similar to the closed loop system are obtained. Ground Source Heat Pumps offer great benefits:     * Simultaneously heat & cool different parts of the same building     * Very quiet--users do not know when the system is operating     * Can be set up in multiple zones, with each zone having an individual room control     * Greater freedoms in building design due to 50-80% less mechanical room space     * No outside equipment to hide, eliminating vandalism and roof top units     * Pipes have 50-year life expectancy     * All electric, which eliminates multiple utility services     * Expel boiler and chiller maintenance     * Ground heat exchanger is maintenance free and will last 40+ years GSHPs offer great savings:     * Very competitive on initial costs and lower lifecycle costs than most HVAC systems.     * Savings of 25-50% on energy consumption     * Lower peak demand, lowering your operating costs     * Water heated with waste heat from air conditioning at no cost in the summer and at substantial savings in the winter     * Some utilities offer rebates or incentives to their customers who purchase GSHPs.  GSHPs are environmentally friendly:     * Conserve natural resources by providing efficient climate control and thus lowering emissions     * Minimize ozone layer destruction by using sealed refrigeration systems, which seldom or never have to be recharged     * Use underground loops to transfer heat, with no external venting and no air pollution     * Very energy efficient, with the earth providing over 70% of the energy required to heat and cool