Finally, an alternative that works

Alberta Bennett tries to keep warm as she watches the digging of a geothermal well in her backyard. (Globe Staff Photo / Joanne Rathe)

Alberta Bennett's mission to blaze a pollution-free path is nearly done.

A quarter-century after spending her life savings on a wind-powered turbine for her backyard - it broke shortly after it was installed and hasn't worked since - the Gloucester woman is getting an environmentally friendly home heating and cooling system. The geothermal system is fueled by fluids that are pumped through two wells, each 260 feet below ground, where the earth's temperature is a constant 50 degrees.

Workers drilled the wells last week, and the system, largely paid for by a nonprofit agency, is expected to be running by the end of the month.

"Wow, I can't believe this is finally happening," said Bennett, 58, who bundled up in three layers underneath a hooded coat Monday, as she watched a crew drill the wells in near-freezing temperatures.

"I've waited so long for this," she added, "I wanted to see it go in, from start to end."

Bennett had spent years trying to get someone to repair her electricity-generating turbine. Finally, she gave up on wind power, built a greenhouse across the back of her house to help heat it, and started researching geothermal systems.

A back injury landed the former nurse on disability seven years ago.

Then, two years ago, a nonprofit read about Bennett's long-defunct turbine and offered free assistance in fixing it. When that didn't work out, the organization offered to help install another alternative energy source. More complications materialized.

Next came the nonprofit's decision to go with geothermal. Still, there were snags.

"Everybody is idealistic, but it's the details that matter and the details don't always work as cleanly as you want," said Elliott Jacobson, energy director at Action Inc., the nonprofit that came to Bennett's aid.