Detroit Suburbs Become Unlikely Site for Geothermal Drilling Projects

Despite being in one of the worst regions in the country for geothermal power, two Michigan cities are nevertheless finding ways to save on energy costs by tapping the earth's natural heat.

In the Detroit suburbs of Wyandotte and Dearborn Heights, local officials are using federal grants and city funds to help reduce the upfront cost for residents to convert to geothermal heating and cooling.

Geothermal systems can cost several times more to install than traditional central air conditioning or natural gas furnaces, but the additional costs are paid back through utility savings in five to 10 years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Geothermal energy works by digging wells to a spot in the earth where there’s a relatively constant core temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Water or an antifreeze solution is circulated to the spot through a closed loop of plastic pipes. 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 is reversed, and the building is cooled by pulling heat back into the ground.

The systems work by using ground-source heat pumps, which take the place of a furnace or air-conditioning unit and use less electricity.

 A Shared Resource

In Dearborn Heights, Ron Amen is spearheading a project to convert the city's 33,000-square-foot senior center to geothermal heating and cooling. In a large grassy area next to the center, crews would drill wells to service the building and up to 400 neighborhood homes, said Amen, the city’s director of community and economic development.

"The building is 57 years old, and the boiler is 57 years old," he said of the senior center. "Our superintendent of building maintenance tells me he’ll be surprised if it gets through another heating season."

The senior center doesn't have central air, either, and relies on a half-dozen old, inefficient window units in various rooms.

The nearby homes are 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, and almost all of them are bungalows or small ranches. "These people would see probably anywhere from a 50 to 75 percent reduction in heating costs with natural gas, and cooling costs," he said.

Amen is working with Advanced Energy Group of Ann Arbor on the project. He's currently seeking financing for a portion of the $700,000 cost, and plans to seek final approval later this year from the city council. The project also would include new windows and improved insulation.

"Between the savings that we would realize in our heating and cooling costs, and what money I would be able to come up with in the next few years from community block grants, I’m hoping to get it paid off in eight years," Amen said.

The big expense for a homeowner who wants to convert to geothermal are bores that have to be drilled, Amen said. "Here in this area, you have to go down about 500 feet to get a temperature of about 51 degrees."

Residents in Dearborn Heights wouldn't have to put in money upfront. They can receive a $5,000 to $6,000 federal grant for switching their homes from natural gas to geothermal, Amen said. They would sign those grant checks over to the city, and make monthly payments for the new systems. The payments would be equal to what they're currently paying for heating and cooling, with the savings from the geothermal system going to pay off the cost of the installed equipment.

Paying off each system would take four to five years.

Amen said he has been shopping around the senior center plan to homeowners in Dearborn Heights, and has received an enthusiastic response so far.

A Geothermal Utility

The city of Wyandotte has gone a step further, establishing a geothermal utility with existing funds, said Melanie McCoy, general manager at Wyandotte Municipal Services. The services provider currently provides power within city limits using a boiler that burns coal and shredded tires.