A word of warning on heating with coal - it is a lot of work. Not as much as buring wood, but work none-the-less. and if it's outside, then outside you go in order to keep it running.

About 10 years ago I spent part of a winter in a house heated by coal. The furnace had to be loaded and the coal ash removed EVERY day. The coal ash needs to be put somewhere; some coal ash isn't very nice stuff. If it goes out, then getting it re-lit requires some fire starting skills.

I think that a geo system would appeal to more people than a coal system. If electricity prices are low in your area, geo seems like a more attractive option.

i use both now (but not coal...just wood) there was no reason really for the wood stove..i built my own on a dare....the geothermal heat and cooling works great...the wood jsut helps keep the electric bill lower now....the geothermal will be used more as my desire to go to the bush for a little workout decreases with my age (lol) geothermal is exspensive..but much more convenient than the outdoor stove..if i wasn't capeable of building my own outdoor wood stove...i would never have bought one!

but with geothermal and outdoor wood stove i still have no fire in the house..and sleep without worry

You must be pulling our leg to ask such a question on a RENEWABLE ENERGY forum!
IÂll answer your question with a question; how would you like to go into town on a Saturday night, on a donkey drawn buckboard or in a Lexus hybrid?

BTW: If you choose coal, what do you intend doing with the carbon emissions? Have you given any thought what-so-ever to your carbon footprint on this earth?

Just wonderingÂ

SR

I think you best study up on Hybrids..the biggest scam to hit a concerned public! From it's production...to it's operation...to it's disposal, they are an environmental nightmare....all brought to you by the people who still hunt whales!! I'll take the donkey, thank you very much!