We are considering this method of heating in a new house we hope to build in the Vaucluse- does anyone have any experience of installing and running such a system?

Hi
No experience but have you looked at www.avenir-energie.com/english , this may help

Very useful thanks

We installed a geothermic heat pump to replace an old oil boiler - works well, will be even better when we sort out the insulation to the house to stop the drafts. If you install from scratch with underfloor heating should be perfect.

We are also seriously considering Geothermal heating. Have you had any further help since posting this on the forum in July - would be interested to hear what's happened since.

Hi,
Sadly not. Tentative investigations suggest the installation price is very high but longer term it is cheap! Trouble is the estimates for our construction are coming in very high so unlikely we will be able to afford the upfront cost. Where are you living? Is it for a new build?
DT

How much are you looking at for a unit say 150m2?

If you are tax resident in France you get 50% of the geothermal costs back as a tax credit.

If you go for underfloor heating you should be able to heat a 150 square metre house very well for under 300 euros a year.

We had a geothermal heat pump installed to replace an oil boiler so the system isn't as effiecient - we are using the same narrow (14mm) pipes and existing radiators so added a 'booster' into the system - even with this we heated 200 square metres last winter for 800 euros. We will be adding another 100 square metres top the property this winter and will be using the same heat pump to heat this new space with underfloor heating - I've been told it will cope but (oh la la) when I see the numbers how can I be sure.

I live in south Vendee

I'd certainly do it again.

I was wondering installation cost.

Hi Rue Pasteur, thanks for your response. We live in the Lot, about 35k east of Cahors. Last winter was exceptionally cold but we have been assured Geothermal will cope. House is an old tobacco barn. Converstion of living area on first floor just begun so in ideal situation to put in underfloor pipes. We have asked Avenir for a quote but not heard yet. Quotes from two other companies vary so widely its difficult to get a clear idea of what it will cost.

Thanks BarryM for your reply, good to know you belive in geothermal and that it works!

Hi
You might find this link useful.

http://www.totalfrance.com/france/fo...ght=geothermal

Keep us posted on anyones progress. I'm sure there are lots of interested people who would like a clearer idea on costs and benefits of installing geothermal.

Interesting discussion and heartening to see a lot of interest in geothermal...live in India where geothermal has not caught up much as yet, but who knows, I could be saying something different in a year!

A couple of useful web pages I found on geothermal - Heat & Geothermal Energy Inventions & Updates & Geothermal energy production & applications reference

Hope these are of help

NB

Hi
Does anyone know of any installers of geothermal heating system who service the Corbierre in Languedoc? I am building a rural villa of 250sm and so far have only one quote and would to get another.