Dual fuel heating

A geothermal heating and cooling system in your home or business is an excellent way to save on your heating and cooling costs. When a geothermal heat pump can operate in a dual fuel utility program, the savings can be even greater.

What is a Dual fuel heating system?
A dual fuel heating system is a furnace or boiler that is able to provide heat from two different fuel sources. A dual fuel heating system is created when a geothermal system (which only uses electricity to generate heat) is combined with a traditional propane of natural gas furnace.

How does a dual fuel heating system work?
A dual fuel heating system works like any other heating system with one exception: In the event of a power emergency the utility will remotely change the fuel source of the heating system from the primary to the secondary source. In the case of a geothermal system, the geothermal heat pump (which runs only on electricity) will shut down and the alternate heat source (propane, natural gas, etc.) will provide heat until the power emergency is over. A power emergency is fairly uncommon and rarely happens more than one or two days a year.

What are the benefits of a dual fuel system?
When you install a dual fuel heating system in your home, a separate meter will be installed for operation of your system. In exchange for having the dual fuel system, the utility company will provide a dramatic discount on the electricity used to operate the geothermal system. For example the current dual fuel rate, or energy controlled service for Xcel energy is 2.13 cents per Kw vs. the standard rate of 5.76 cents per Kw. This is a savings of over 60%.
Availability and pricing for dual fuel rates vary by utility. Check with your local utility to see if the service is offered.

How much more does a dual fuel system cost?
With the exception of the additional electric meter, the total installation cost of a dual fuel geothermal system is about the same. If we are able to retrofit an existing furnace to a dual fuel geothermal system, the savings can be significant.

How much can I save with a dual fuel geothermal heating system?
A geothermal heating system can save you 50-70% on your heating and cooling costs. When combined with a dual fuel electric service, savings can be over 80% compared to a standard heating system.