Reply #14: Thanks. This was very useful. I did mean Geoexchange system

[trudyco]

We have plenty of land, though hilly with trees. I looked into Photovoltaic and wind power. Neither have a big enough energy output for the cost. Solar hot water might be an option, but we need a place for a tank. Our local electricity guy told how he had a 3000 SF house, well insulated with passive solar (unlike us) and with a geo pump his electric bill is $100 a month. At over 8000' elevation. However, his system is forced air heat. We have half electric radiators and half in-floor hot water heat (with a propane fueled boiler). I was trying to find out if the geoexchange system could handle the hot water.

One of the photovoltaic guys said that geoexchange is not all it's cracked up to be - implying some systems have maintenance problems.

So I was hoping for:
1) systems that can handle hot water, not forced air heating systems;
2) the best system - a consumer report or epinion type assessment of what systems work;
3) and costs.

A friend gave me a copy of MotherEarth News which had an article explaining closed/open systems, etc. I think the site you listed here and banana's suggested site will be very helpful.
Thanks