2011 and energy prices are still high. We have another heating season coming up for half of the country and more choices to make on how to heat our homes. I recently had my sister install a heat pump at her house. She was looking at installing central A/C and the installer suggested installing a geothermal vertical loop heat pump. The cost was less then $2000 more then installing the A/C along as half of the parts are about the same. Although they are slightly different and a vertical loop of tubing and pump is needed so the choice was easy. She installed had the heat pump installed. I will be tracking her utility bills this winter and will compare against last years. This will give me some real life energy savings and dollar savings and give a very accurate picture of a heat pump pay back period. Also the tax benefits for installing a heat pump in 2011. Look for more updates as the temperatures keep dropping outside. It is installed near Detroit in a 2000 sq ft home that is aprox. 17 years old.