Happy "Geo-Solar" New Year 2015!

Geothermal Heating is From Solar Energy

Did you know that geothermal is really solar energy from our best solar collector? Well, it is!

Scientific Research Shows That Geothermal Heat Pumps Outperform VRF for Heating and Cooling

Annual Energy Use with Geothermal Heat Pumps is 44% Less than with a Variable Refrigerant Flow System

PRESS RELEASE from                                                                                                                                    

Geothermal Exchange Organization                 

Dec. 15 – Definitive scientific research has shown that a geothermal heat pump system offers far more efficiency in a large commercial building than a variable refrigerant flow system.

In January 2013, the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO)—with financial assistance from Southern Company—contracted a research team from Oklahoma State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to evaluate the relative performance of GHP vs. VRF heating and cooling systems installed at the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) International Headquarters Building in Atlanta, GA. (Editor’s Note: ASHRAE provided data for this study, but the organization does not endorse, recommend or certify any equipment or service used at ASHRAE International Headquarters).

Geothermal HVAC Field Trip for the US Department of Energy

DOE Employees Enjoy Geothermal Comfort

"...It's just so quiet and there's not much to see..." Those were some of the comments uttered as Department of Energy employees got to have a day away from the office...

Each year, The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) a division of the US Department of Energy hosts a series of “Energy Industry Study Workshops” in which they get up to date on the latest renewable energy advances.  Geothermal Heating and Cooling technologies were the focus on December 4^th as a cross-section DOE employees were shuttled by bus up to Gaithersburg, MD on a field trip to the Kentlands Community Center.

Several DOE divisions including the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Building Technologies Office (BTO), and the Geothermal Office arrived at about 10:00 in the morning for a refresher course on geothermal heating and cooling, followed by a case study on the geothermal heat pump systems that provide the heating and cooling for Kentlands Clubhouse.