A University Heated By Country’s Largest Geothermal System

[Daox]

Yeah, its BIG. Indiana’s Ball State is putting in the country's largest geothermal system.

A University Heated By Country's Largest Geothermal System | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

The closed loop system consists of 3,600 boreholes drilled 400 to 500 feet deep across the campus’s sports fields and parking lots; about 10 miles of piping making up hot and cold water “district” loops; two energy stations where heat is either transferred to the buildings, or sunk to the ground; and various building interfaces and controls. Geothermal heat pumps draw heat from the ground to warm water to 150 degrees, or extract heat to cool it to 40 degrees, depending on what is needed.

But, they're certainly looking toward the future which not many people/businesses are... The system will save them $2 MILLION a year in operating costs versus their old boilers, and halfing its CO2 output. Of course the installation cost is 70-75 million, so the payback still isn't overnight.

Lowe estimates the geothermal system will cost about $15 million more than replacing the boilers would have done, but that the project will soon pay for itself. “Seven-and-a-half, 10 or even 15 years is a short time span for an institution that’s going to be here for hundreds of years, and for a system that’s going to have a life expectancy of over 50 years.”