Alternative Energy Comparison: Waste Oil Heating vs. Geothermal Heating

If you’ve researched alternative or renewable energy on your path to saving money on your energy bills, no doubt you’ve come across many options. Geothermal is a good option to consider, but if your business generates used motor oil or other used petroleum products, waste oil heating can be a great choice too. In this article we’ll explore the pros and cons of waste oil heating vs. geothermal heating, so read on for a few important considerations.

Geothermal Heating Benefits

Some of the pros of installing geothermal are:

  • It is considered environmentally friendly and does not cause a significant amount of pollution
  • It is great for both heating and cooling your facility
  • Harnessing geothermal energy does not involve any fuels, which means no more cost fluctuations
  • Geothermal systems have a small footprint on land and can be built partially underground

Ideally, you could use both geothermal heating and a waste oil furnace to generate energy for your business. But it’s not a perfect world and finances can determine which technology you choose. Following are three reasons why waste oil heating might be a better choice for your energy needs.

Waste Oil Heating Benefits

Waste Oil Heating is Much Less Expensive than Geothermal Heating

The cost of a geothermal heating system and it’s potential savings depend on a variety of different factors including your location, your ongoing energy needs, maintenance requirements and others. While it’s true that with federal incentives, SRECs and depreciation the total price can be significantly reduced, it’s still much more expensive to implement a geothermal heating system than a waste oil furnace. For example, our line of waste oil furnaces starts at just under $4,000 for a complete furnace.

Waste Oil Heating Could Have a Faster ROI

A waste oil furnace is a fixed price and takes advantage of your businesses’ existing waste oil. While an average return-on-investment time could be as much as 5-7 years with geothermal heating, you can expect to recoup your waste oil furnace investment in as little as 2 years. We even have customers who have installed waste oil furnaces and recouped their investment in a matter of months!

Waste Oil Furnaces Require Little Space and Can Be Installed Anywhere

Waste oil furnaces can be ceiling-mounted or easily installed in an existing room. Our waste oil heating center even provides a complete oil tank and furnace mount assembly that takes up a minimum amount of floor space – perfect for garages and small shops where space is at a premium.

A geothermal heating system, on the other hand, requires a great deal of ground area and a lengthy, complicated installation process.

Waste Oil Furnaces Work on Your Schedule

As opposed to geothermal heating, which can be an energy source that varies in output with temperature and seasonal changes, a waste oil heating system operates when you need it. There is no need to worry if your furnace will be able to meet your energy demand. If you have waste oil to burn, you’re all set.

Are you interested in turning your waste stream into clean, safe heat and in addition lowering your impact on the environment? A Clean Energy Heating Systems’ waste oil furnace can help you achieve that goal. Contact us today. We’d be happy to learn about your needs and recommend the perfect waste oil furnace for your business.