For heating and cooling homes, geothermal is the most efficient form on the planet.
Coupling a geothermal system with solar panels completely removes the building from the grid, removes all greenhouse gasses, is extremely quiet and has a lower total cost of ownership once the system is installed. The tubing is 50-70 years in life expectancy and there are only several parts that need servicing. There is no compressor outside to be exposed to the elements and make noise. Everything is either in the basement (or attic/garage depending on your house) or the tubing in the ground. No environmental exposures to the unit. Primary parts, a Taco circulator pump, a blower fan & the exchange unit. Three of the four seasons... it also produces over 80% of the home's hot water, saving on the water heater costs.
Solar is not the best for providing a complete street power replacement, but it will be in a decade.
Geothermal is not the best for providing power, however it is great for environmentals.
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But, when used for their strengths, geothermal for environmentals, solar for the power to run the geothermal system... it's the best of both worlds. A 3-Ton geothermal system was evaluated in my house. The electricity and gas for heating and cooling it currently costs $2,300 a year. Conversion to a geothermal system would reduce that to $525 a year! 2 8-foot solar panels and a battery system would replace that power demand. The solar system is 20+ years (not one of the defective Chinese units), the battery bank would require maintenance, but the total cost would be less than $10K (a net zero or better). With projected cost increases, the unit would save over $50K in 20 years.
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New Jersey fully supported Geothermal and was actively pushing it. That is... until Chris Christie's replacement in the BPU.
Now it's Nuclear, Coal, Natural Gas, etc... all from your local energy provider.
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