Knowledgebase
Welcome to the BTL Knowledgebase. Ever since we started lining ponds, creating covers, and helping people with their projects, we've gotten asked a lot of questions. Many of these questions are repeatedly asked, so we put together the BTL knowledgebase to help answer any questions you had about a particular subject. We are adding new questions every month, so continue to check back often!
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How do you store heat in a greenhouse?
Thermal energy, or heat, can be stored in a greenhouse by adding "thermal batteries," like barrels of water or a heat sink.
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Does geothermal heating work well?
Geothermal energy has advantages over other green solutions like solar and wind power, though, because the energy is 'direct-use'. Since the energy doesn't have to be converted to some other form, like electricity, the usage is more efficient, sustainable
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How far deep into the ground does a geothermal well go?
A geothermal well will vary in depth depending on the ambient temperature of your location, ranging anywhere from 6 to over 200 feet. It needs to be deep enough to avoid freezing at the surface, while accounting for cost in the installation process.
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What's a thermal battery?
Thermal energy is stored within mass, either in a heat sink of rubble or gravel, or by installation of thermal batteries, like dark barrels of water.
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How does a sunken greenhouse work?
A sunken greenhouse is slightly buried within the ground during its construction, absorbing the ambient heat from the soil that its in contact with.
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What is a sunken greenhouse?
Sunken greenhouses may be constructed partially or completely underground, depending on the latitude, since only equatorial locations can get enough sun when they're completely underground.
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What does a heat pump do?
Heat pumps are used in greenhouses in order to push cool air through underground pipes before pulling warmed air out.
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How does geothermal energy heat a greenhouse?
Water and soil below ground contain a vast reservoir of thermal energy, thanks to the natural heat emanating from the magma layers stretching thousands of miles below the earth’s crust. Geothermal greenhouse systems can take advantage of this stored therm
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Where does geothermal heat come from?
Geothermal energy is heat from within the Earth that has been present since the original formation of the planet. It is contained in the rocks and fluids beneath the earth's crust, distributed through layers of magma several thousand miles thick.
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How do you keep a greenhouse warm at night?
While the sun isn't warming your greenhouse, thermal batteries or a heat sink can be used to transfer thermal energy when the ambient temperature cools.
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How do you keep a greenhouse warm during the winter?
A geothermal heat pump pulls heat from within the soil, generated by the Earth itself, this temperature stays steady throughout the year.
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Does a geothermal greenhouse lose heat at night?
While the sun isn't warming your greenhouse, thermal batteries or a heat sink can be used to transfer thermal energy when the ambient temperature cools.
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Does geothermal heating require electricity?
Geothermal energy is readily available virtually everywhere on the planet, and can often be completely passive.
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Is geothermal energy effective?
Geothermal energy is sustainable, non-polluting, and available all over the world, during any season.
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Is geothermal energy good?
Much like solar energy, geothermal energy is sustainable, non-polluting, and available all over the world. Geothermal energy has advantages over other green solutions like solar and wind power, though, because the energy is 'direct-use'. Since the energy
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Where should I place a heat sink in my greenhouse?
Heat sinks need to be exposed to a source of heat, such as solar or geothermal, that it can absorb and store until it releases when the ambient temperature drops. If your heat sink is supplied by solar energy, it should be placed where it gets maximum sun
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How deep does a heatpump go?
The key to using ground geothermal energy is to access ground that’s deep enough to escape the effects of surface temperatures. In many parts of the world, that’s as little as 4’ deep. Even in very cold climates, soil that maintains a steady temperature o
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How do you increase thermal mass in a greenhouse?
If you're using a simple passive thermal battery setup and need to increase your thermal mass, the most popular and simplest option is to add large barrels of water, painted black. These are cheap, easy to move in, and as long as they're exposed to plenty
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What are the best materials for adding thermal mass?
All materials have their own unique ability to store, absorb, and conduct heat. Dense, highly conductive materials are the best options for a geothermal greenhouse.
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How do you build a heat sink for a greenhouse?
When building a heat sink for a greenhouse, there are a few basic principles to keep in mind. First, choose your "battery" carefully. In general, the denser your material, the more heat it can absorb and store. Water is superior to almost any kind of loos
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What are the best materials for thermal energy?
Highly conductive materials are the best way to store heat for use in thermal energy.
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Where do greenhouses lose the most heat?
Greenhouses are sometimes built with small openings in the roof to allow air to vent, which is critical if you're using supplemental heat from an oil heater or wood fired stove, for example. For geothermal greenhouses, that kind of venting is unnecessary
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How do you heat a greenhouse with a heat sink?
You can think of a heat sink as a kind of a collector and storage for thermal energy.
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How do you add thermal mass to a greenhouse?
An easy way to increase thermal mass is to add barrels of water, painted flat black, along a wall where it will receive sunlight. Besides adding more “batteries” to the equation, these water barrels can also be used for plant irrigation, eliminating plant
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