Alternative Energy Retailer Content / Geothermal / Guidance From Above, Heating From Below

Alternative Energy Retailer Content / Geothermal / Guidance From Above, Heating From Below: "Guidance From Above, Heating From Below
in Feature Content > Geothermal
by Phil Hall on Tuesday 21 October 2008
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Back in 2006, Rev. Calvin Cash had a leak in his basement. In this circumstance, the basement was at the John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church in Pittsburgh, where Cash has been the minister since 1996. And the leak resulted in 18 inches of water that originated from an abandoned mine that ran below the church.

This watery mess was not the only problem facing Cash's church. Although the 162-year-old structure was a designated city landmark, it found itself without a home for the course of the colder seasons due to exorbitant heating bills.

'Last winter, we had electric heat, and it became too expensive,' says Cash. 'We had to conduct our worshipping services at someone's house.'

Ironically, these seemingly dissimilar problems have tied together into a renewable energy solution that would simultaneously rid the church of its liquid lower level and provide thermal comfort to its parishioners.

The first order of business was locating and stopping the flow of mine water. Cash acknowledges that his church was not the only destination for the escaping overrun. 'The water used to flow down the street,' he recalls. 'People in the"