"David Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:07:57 -0500 someone who may be "Jim"
wrote this:-

In the eastern US, I was spending quite a bit more than $300 US for
propane gas. Hot water is neither free or cheap, except in Iceland.

Hot water is not free in Iceland. The hot water doesn't get into
buildings by magic and the heat exchanger in the house is not free
either.

And much is lost between source and destiny.

Great steel pipes run in open 'ditches' at the side of roads, they carry the
hot water. Much heat is lost to the atmosphere. Enclosing the pipes of
filling the ditches is pointless in earthquake areas, even the metalled
roads have only a thin skin of blacktop. Everything has to be repaired very
frequently ...

As a result the quantity of heat used is measured. I do
believe it is relatively cheap though, especially compared to the
cost of importing oil or gas.

It is cheaper than ours (all our energy is probably higher than most places)
but the cost of labour, machinery and import of all raw materials has to be
paid for.

Mary