The Environment Ministry plans to introduce an experimental program to use a geothermal heat pump system for public facilities as part of Japan's efforts to curb global warming, ministry officials said Monday.
The officials said the program, to begin in fiscal 2003, will involve using power-saving geothermal heat pumps for hot water and air conditioning at public facilities, including hospitals, libraries and city halls in 60 locations across the nation.
The system makes use of geothermal heat that is 20 to 100 meters below ground and has stable year-round temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees. The ministry estimates that using geothermal heat pumps for air conditioning, for example, would result in an energy saving of 40 percent.