In short: a deep borehole gives the property a heat source that stays steady through the year. Heat pumps turn it into building heat, and a suitable system can use less electricity than direct electric heating. The finished installation takes little space. You can own the system or buy the heat. How large each benefit is depends on the building, so we assess it property by property.

A heat source that stays steady all year

Outdoor air is coldest exactly when a building needs the most heat. Bedrock at depth is not. Its temperature is set by the geology rather than the weather, so the heat pumps work from a steady source through the whole heating season.

That source still has limits. Extracting heat changes the thermal conditions around the borehole, so we match the planned extraction to what the rock can supply over time. The temperature at depth, the rock's thermal properties and the building's annual and peak demand all go into that assessment. SGU: temperature measurements in deep boreholes.

More heat from each unit of electricity

A heat pump moves heat from a source into the building. Electricity powers that process, while energy collected from the ground contributes to the heat delivered.

A suitable system can therefore use less electricity than direct electric heating for the same useful heat. A warm, steady source helps: the less the heat pumps have to lift the temperature, the less electricity each unit of heat needs. The actual result depends on operating conditions and the complete installation, so we assess seasonal performance, including circulation pumps and auxiliary equipment, rather than a single equipment rating. IEA: how a heat pump works.

Little space above ground once it is built

Drilling needs a temporary worksite. Our example layout is 40 × 30 m, and we plan for about 2 to 3 months on site per borehole, subject to permits and property conditions. The final arrangement follows the property and the selected equipment.

Once the work is done, the permanent installation is compact: the borehole and a plant room for the heating centre. At Jordbro, where Geocadia drilled a borehole about 2,000 metres deep with its own GM2000 rig, the plant room occupies 25 to 40 m².

A source built to last

The borehole and collector are long-lived infrastructure. The heat pumps and other plant in the heating centre can be serviced, and eventually renewed, around the same source. When plant is renewed, the existing borehole may remain useful, subject to an engineering assessment of its condition and performance.

We plan for that from the start: access for maintenance, replaceable components and a clear handover record of the completed borehole, collector and commissioning settings. Why a deep borehole can be a long-term heating asset.

Less reliance on combustion

Where geothermal heat pumps replace an on-site fossil-fuel boiler, they can reduce the property's reliance on burning fuel for heat. That can support an electrification plan and reduce operational emissions, depending on the electricity supply and system performance.

A credible comparison also considers refrigerant management and the installation's environmental impacts. Electricity remains an operating input and a price exposure. The right comparison is with the heating alternative actually available to the property. IEA: The Future of Heat Pumps.

Own the system, or buy the heat

We offer two commercial routes around the same physical system. With system ownership, the property invests up front and owns the borehole, collector, heat-pump plant, controls, metering and building connection, and pays for the electricity that runs the heat pumps. Price, warranty and responsibilities are fixed after feasibility.

Under Energy as a Service, Geocadia finances, owns and operates the system, and the property buys metered heat under a long-term agreement, typically 25 to 30 years, with no customer capex. The customer pays per kWh of delivered heat and also buys the electricity that runs the heat pumps. In this model, Geocadia also carries the drilling risk. Final terms are property-specific.

Compare the full financial picture: investment, heat charges where applicable, heat-pump electricity, maintenance responsibilities, indexation and contract terms. The commercial route changes how costs and responsibilities are allocated; it does not replace a sound technical design.

Our part, and yours

We take care of technical feasibility and system design, permit coordination, drilling, installation and commissioning. From the property, we need its energy data and heat-use history, land and access for the temporary drill site, a suitable power connection and a location for the plant room.

Permits and the property's conditions set the timetable. We currently plan for a lead time of 4 to 9 months before drilling starts.

Make the benefits specific to your property

Before proceeding, establish the heat-load profile, required building temperatures, geological conditions, drilling access, plant-room space and electrical capacity. Include any planned changes in occupancy, insulation or use.

Then test the economics against the alternatives actually available: the existing heating arrangement, district heating where available, or another heat-pump solution. Use consistent assumptions and consider how changing electricity prices would affect the result.

A property screen is a practical starting point. We identify what is already known and which questions need engineering work before an investment decision.

Sources and scope

These sources explain the underlying technology. Geocadia's system scope and commercial routes are assessed property by property; no general source establishes a site's performance or price.

Start with your property.

Share the address, current heating arrangement and rough heat demand to identify the next assessment.

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