Geothermal energy is renewable heat energy from the Earth. Geothermal systems utilize a heat pump and underground pipe loop that collects the Earth's heat and converts it into heating, cooling and electricity. While the studies, released by CU Boulder and the Colorado Energy Office, found that geothermal systems are feasible for the campus, implementing those systems would require major infrastructure changes and long-term investment.
The studies examined several options for evaluation, planning and conceptual costs. In scenario 1, design and construction of geothermal systems on campus as it exists now would cost more than $470 million, and operations, maintenance and utility costs would be nearly $10 million annually, according to the study. Scenario 1 is a 100 percent geothermal exchange, eliminating all fossil fuel use. Geothermal systems are generally more expensive to operate than the systems in place today, CU Boulder spokesperson Nicole Cousins said.
"What isn't factored into the levelized cost of energy is the social cost to carbon emissions, which assigns a dollar amount to the long-term damage done by a ton of carbon dioxide emissions," Cousins wrote in an email to the Daily Camera. "When considering this, the geothermal solutions become more cost competitive as compared to the gas and electric baselines reviewed during the study."
However, the $470 million estimate is likely much lower than the actual cost for CU Boulder to convert to geothermal because it does not include the cost of modifying existing campus infrastructure to accommodate geothermal energy sources. The $470 million estimate also does not include any future campus expansion. Additionally, the study used 2025 dollars and market conditions for its estimates, without accounting for inflation. Any potential cost-saving benefits of geothermal will be part of the ongoing evaluation of integrating those systems on campus.
CU Boulder is not making any decisions on the construction or implementation of geothermal systems at this time. The studies will instead be used as planning resources to inform future energy and infrastructure decisions.
"Due to economic considerations, it is anticipated that geothermal systems and solutions will replace heating sources as part of a broader transition to hot-water and district-thermal-energy systems," Cousins wrote in an email to the Daily Camera. "The cooling and electrical systems are still supported by campus microgrid systems, which are primarily supplied by Xcel Energy."
Some climate activists have advocated for CU Boulder to start implementing geothermal energy systems, especially as other Colorado universities, such as Colorado State University and Colorado Mesa University, have already done so.
"Evaluating frontier technologies like deep geothermal is an important step as we work toward our Climate Action Plan goals and explore pathways to reduce emissions across campus," Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock said in a release.
Deep geothermal systems can extend more than 20,000 feet underground, far deeper than shallow systems, which typically operate at depths of less than 1,000 feet. The studies found that deep and shallow geothermal systems are technologically feasible for the campus.
CU Boulder is continuing its plan to transition heating systems away from steam and toward low-temperature hot-water systems powered by carbon-free energy sources.
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