Facts about geothermal heat pumps

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal heat pump technology is the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space conditioning system available.

Energy costs with geothermal heat pump technology typically are 25 to 50 percent less than other HVAC systems.

The use of geothermal heat pump technology lowers electricity demand by nearly 1 kilowatt (kw) per ton of capacity.

Today, more than half a million geothermal heat pump units are installed in the US., resulting in an annual savings of 4 billion kilowatt-hour (kwh) of electricity, eliminating the need for 20 trillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) of fossil fuels, cutting peak electrical demand by 1.3 million kw and slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 3 million tons of carbon dioxide (C02).

Those 500,000 installations are equivalent to:

• converting 650,000 cars to zero-emission vehicles,

• planting 190 million trees,

• reducing U.S. reliance on imported fuels by 11 million barrels of crude oil per year or,

• eliminating the need for one 1,300 MW power plant.

Because they burn no fossil fuels on site, geothermal beat pumps generate virtually no CO2 emissions.

For businesses, geothermal heat pump systems provide the architect with optimal design flexibility because the roof and landscape are free of chillers, air handlers and other outdoor equipment. In addition, with geothermal heat pump systems, boiler rooms can be eliminated and the size of mechanical rooms can be reduced.

Because geothermal heat pump systems are so flexible, they are ideal for renovating buildings with historical value. One successful strategy is to use smaller heat pumps dispersed in closets, basements, and attics to provide space conditioning and ventilation with minimal ducting. Additionally, there are no unsightly condensers on the roof or grounds to distract from the building's historic charm.

The elimination of outdoor or rooftop equipment means the geothermal heat pump system is not exposed to temperature extremes, dirt, pollution or vandalism.

Geothermal heat pump systems have a lower life cycle cost than conventional systems, even in hot, humid regions where the demand for air conditioning is high. Geothermal heat pump systems also have long equipment life (20 plus years).

If every school district that needed to replace heating and cooling systems over the next 10 years installed geothermal heat pump systems, the total energy savings during that time would exceed $11 billion.

The electricity required to power one million homes for one year would be saved, if every school that could use geothermal heat pump technology did so.

Information super-highway has winter driving tips

Since 1902, AAA has placed the highest priority on traffic safety for the motorist. As part of that effort, in 1995, the AAA-Chicago Motor Club spearheaded the formation of a coalition of federal, state and private agencies in Illinois and Indiana known as "Ice Pack." The group's mission is to save lives by providing information for safe driving in winter weather conditions. Before you hit the roads visit www.icepack.org for winter weather driving information. The site provides information on preparing your car for winter and surviving a tough season. It is also provides direct links to expressway travel times, statewide road conditions and up-to-the-minute weather forecasts.

Lower heating bills expected this winter

This winter is expected to bring lower heating bills than those seen last winter, according to forecasts by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in the October Short-Term Energy Outlook and Winter Fuels Outlook: 2001/2002. Assuming normal weather, winter heating bills for residential consumers could average from $170 to $320 lower than last winter

The main reasons for this lower forecast are:

• Demand for space heating fuels is expected to be lower than last winter, when the weather was about 7 percent colder than normal.

• Inventories of key heating fuels are above normal levels for this time year and substantially above those at the outset of the winter of 2000-2001

• Crude oil and natural gas prices at lower levels than they were last year.

In contrast to last winter, there is less concern about quantity limitations and the potential for extraordinary price increases among major heating fuels this winter. This is particularly true for natural gas and propane, based on the ample pre-season supplies that have been put into storage. Somewhat more risk may apply to heating oil, or "distillate fuel," which still has inventory levels somewhat below average, particularly in the Midwest where there are refinery outages.

The Winter Fuels Outlook: 2001/2002 is an in-depth look at winter fuel markets based on the projections provided in the Short-Term Energy Outlook. For additional information or to view the article in its entirety, you can visit the Short-Term Energy Outlook web site at www.eia.doe.gov/steo and select Winter Fuels Outlook.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.org

Help with HMO enrollment decisions

The Illinois State Medical Society (ISM) issued its 2001 Guide to Illinois health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Significant findings indicate that HMOs are turning a profit, while the cost of premiums continues to soar.

In 2000, there were 33 HMOs operating in Illinois. Of the 28 percent, which did at least 10 percent of their business in this state, the average total profits increased to 1.46 percent from 0.20 percent. The combined total profits for these HMOs was more than $94 million. The average cost of premiums per patient increased 7.3 percent from $1,707 to $1,832 per person, while actual enrollment decreased by 3 percent.

Available both online and in hard copy, the guide is meant to help consumers and their employers in the decision-making process of choosing a health plan. Individual pages on each HMO can help readers make comparisons between plans.

"There are a lot of differences between HMOs in Illinois," said ISMS President Ronald L. Ruecker, M.D. "This guide will help consumers become more informed about the choices they have, and to ask better questions of the plans and of their employers."

The guide looks at the individual plans' medical expense ratios (the percentage of the plan's total revenues spent actually providing medical care to patients), administrative expenses, premium costs and utilization data. It also includes information on complaints filed with the Illinois Department of Insurance regarding each plan.

The ISMS Guide also reports on each HMO's longevity, size, geographic areas of coverage and financial stability, and lists those HMOs that serve Medicare or Medicaid patients.

The guide is available for no charge at the ISMS site at www.isms.org/patient/study.html or in hard copy by contacting ISMS at 20 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 700, Chicago, IL 60602 or calling 1-800-782-ISMS.

Source: Illinois State Medical Society

Fourth Annual Illinois Products Expo

The Illinois Products Expo will be held March 8-10, 2002 in the Illinois Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. More than 60 Illinois food companies and agricultural groups will take part. There will be free food samples, new product introductions and sales of Illinois-produced food and agricultural products. The 2002 Illinois Products Expo will also feature an expanded Illinois Wine and Cheese Garden featuring more than 50 varieties of Illinois wines. For more information, contact Pam Flesher or Larry Aldag with the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 217-782-6675.

Reading the snow on your roof

Here's an easy way to see how well your attic is insulated and how energy-efficient your home really is. Go outside and look at the snow on your roof.

It's true. Learning how to read the snow can tell you a lot about your home's energy efficiency. For instance, if you see an even blanket of snow on the roof, that's great. Because although you want to stay nice and warm in the winter, you want your roof to stay cold. Think about it. If the roof is cold, that means that heat isn't leaking out of your home, into the attic and up to the roof, where it would melt the snow.

If, however, the only snow you see is along the eaves of your house, the odds are good your attic isn't insulated at all. Heat is coming through the attic, warming the roof, melting the snow and causing it to run off. Another sure sign of insulation problems is the presence of lots of big icicles; that runoff is hitting the edges of the roof and re-freezing. And that can lead to another big problem ice damming. With that "dam" of solid ice along the edges of the roof, as more snow falls, melts and runs off, it hits that solid block of ice and is forced under the shingles, often under the sheathing, and eventually can rot the structural timbers.

Reading the snow can also tell you if you have ventilation problems. For example, "halos" of melted snow near roof vents can indicate a lot of warm air is leaking through walls and ceilings and out the roof vents. Small areas of melted snow around sewer stacks and skylights can also indicate air leakage into the attic. You may even see odd patterns of snow melt that are spots where recessed lights are allowing heated air to enter the attic and melt the snow on the roof in just a few places.

Take a walk through your neighborhood to compare your home to others experiencing the same weather conditions. You can learn a lot about how reading the snow can help you diagnose energy waste and problems that could lead to extensive and expensive roof damage.

Source: Wisconsin Division of Energy; Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation; Energy Center of Wisconsin; Home Energy Magazine www.homeenergy.com

Farmers jump on the Internet

Internet use by U.S. farmers has grown rapidly, as the Internet becomes more accessible. Use of computers on farms has grown from 38 percent of all farms to 55 percent since 1997, while Internet use has grown from 13 percent of all farms to 43 percent. In 2000, 24 percent of farms used the Internet as a management tool in their farming operations, including $665 million in online buying and selling. Most farms appear to be using the Internet for only a portion of their overall farm business. Internet use by farm businesses seems to be equally attractive to those specializing in crop or in livestock production, and the extent of use by different types and sizes of farms is generally not far from the average for all farm Internet users.
Source: USDA Agriculture Outlook

JANUARY 2002 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 7

Satellite TV merger could impact rural viewers

America's two direct broadcast satellite (DBS) carriers plan to merge. The rural consumer needs to ask, "Am I in jeopardy of losing my affordable, high-quality satellite TV service?" and, even more importantly, "Am I in danger of losing affordable future services, such as competitive broadband Internet services?" The dangers are very real if the companies complete their deal in its current form.

In late October 2001, General Motors agreed to sell Hughes Electronics Corp. to EchoStar Communications Corp. The deal would leave EchoStar in control of the Hughes DIRECTV service as well as its own DISH Network.

While the merging companies claim that combining DIRECTV and DISH Network capacities will lead to more choices, better services, and more local channels, many independent observers wonder how reducing the number of providers can ever improve choices or competition.

Because DIRECTV and the DISH Network use different technologies, the merger is likely to hit rural households in the pocketbook by forcing them to purchase new set-top boxes. For example, 41 percent of households in Vermont and 39 percent in Montana subscribe to satellite TV. Significantly more than a quarter of the households in states including Wyoming, Mississippi, Arkansas and North Dakota rely on DBS.

"The deal will bear a heavy burden of proof because it significantly reduces competition in an already concentrated market," says Blair Levin, a telecommunications industry analyst with the nationally known firm, Legg Mason. Levin and other experts quoted in the press have expressed doubt that federal regulators will approve the merger or be able to craft a satisfactory merger settlement.

Source: The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) www.nrtc.org.

Take the plunge and go back to school

Sometimes the only way to advance in a career, or move into a new profession altogether, is to go back to school. But going back in the middle of a career is challenging. Here are a few simple tips to get you successfully started on the road to learning:

• Finances. If you'll need financial help to go back to school, check the U.S. Department of Education Web site, www.ed.gov, as well as universities' financial aid offices to track down information about loans, grants, etc.

• Company reimbursement. If you're lucky enough to work for a company that reimburses employees for educational costs, make sure you know exactly what the policy is. For example, many companies require employees to repay education expenditures if the employee leaves soon after getting a company-paid education.

• Point out the positives. When you pitch your idea to go back to school, let your boss know how you think it will improve the work you do.

• Be in good standing. If you're going to ask for financial help from your company, make sure you're in good standing with your employer. If you're a good employee, it behooves a company to accommodate your education plans rather than have to retrain a new person to take your place.

Adapted from The Arizona Republic

Senate farm bill proposes $565 million in new energy support

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee approved a farm bill that includes historic support for rural and farm-based renewable and alternative energy development at a funding level of $565 million. The bill, which now goes to the full Senate for a vote, gives the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) authority for the first time to make grants to rural electric cooperatives and other rural utilities to promote the development of economically and environmentally sustainable renewable energy projects. The RUS would receive $10 million per year to fund feasibility studies and technical assistance, and to provide cost-share grants for validated projects.

In addition, the farm bill provides a grant and loan program to help establish farmer-owned renewable energy co-ops, a complementary grant and loan program to assist farmers, ranch and rural businesses in the purchase renewable energy systems, and an energy audit program to help farmers and rural Americans find ways to save money and assess their potential for generating renewable energy. The bill offer particular support for solar, wind, hydrogen and bio-fuels.

The energy provisions enjoy bipartisan support in the committee. However, other parts of the farm bill are contentious, and strong efforts to make changes in the commodities and conservation portions are expected when the full Senate considers the legislation.

It is reasonable to expect that in House-Senate conference on the Farm Bill, the Senate's language on energy could be adopted, particularly if the Bush administration signaled its support. Both the energy and the agriculture secretaries have recently voiced support for alternative energy development and increased distributed energy production.

Source: Energy Co-Opportunity (ECO)

8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.org