Geothermal Advances That Are Engineered to Save Money

Evolo Condominiums Saved Money by Using
Thermally Enhanced HDPE Geothermal Pipe

I don’t like to admit it, but I’m becoming an “old-timer” in the geothermal HVAC industry.  Regardless, I have made a commitment to continue to look for better ways to do things.  If you need a quick review of geothermal heating and cooling, this article is a quick and fun read from Mechanical Hub; it should get you right up to speed.

Vertical Geothermal Loop U-bends

Most geothermal systems start with a vertical closed loop-field.  The biggest expense relative to geothermal systems is often the unseen, underground heat exchanger, made of High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE).  Drilling, HDPE pipe and labor combine to cause these loop-fields run up the cost of a geothermal HVAC system to roughly 3 times what a standard air sourced system might cost. 

When pipe manufacturer, “Versaprofiles” sent me some information on their “thermally enhanced HDPE pipe”, I didn’t have especially high hopes.  The pipe costs about twice what standard HDPE costs.  It is however 75% more conductive that standard HDPE pipe.  That translates to about 11% less drilling.  That doesn’t sound like much, but I went ahead a looked a little further. 

Loop Comparison Graph

I called an engineer that had specified the thermally enhanced pipe on the College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL Campus.  Norbert Repka, PhD was hard to pin down, and when I did get him on the phone, his first comment was, “I don’t know what I’ve got to tell you about the pipe; we’ve only just finished the drilling.” What I wanted to know was what made Norbert choose the pipe, and did he see an advantage. Norbert spent about 10 minutes on the phone with me.  

Norbert’s calculations showed that for their purposes, the pipe provides a 25% improvement in performance, and that they could save about 5% on borehole length. He said that with nearly 100 boreholes drilled they saved (eliminated) 5 boreholes due to the higher thermal conductivity of the thermally enhanced HDPE. 

College saved Tens of Thousands on
Loop Field with Thermally Enhanced HDPE

I looked into multiple projects, many of which showed even better results. St. Laurent Sports Complex completed in 2013 is another example of a project that saved considerable resources on loop-field costs.

New York City Transit Authority is planning a test with the thermally enhanced HDPE pipe on their facilities.  It’s no secret that New York is a hot bed of activity for geothermal efforts, thanks in part to the efforts of NY-Geo.  Anything that can save space and first cost is getting noticed.

Even with Norbert’s conservative calculations, he said the net savings were about $64,000. That means that if they followed the manufacturer’s estimated 11% reduction in borehole length (rather than the 5% they conservatively used), the savings might have been closer to $130,000. Either way, it was a win; both in time and money. In my opinion the pipe is a winner.  

St. Laurent Sports Complex completed in 2013
Saved Money and Improved Efficiency

This not-so-new pipe (it’s been around since 2009) will be featured in a product showcase on Wednesday at 3:30 at the IGSHPA Expo in Kansas City next week.

Industry Stakeholders have created a website with vast resources to educate the public on geothermal heat pumps.  The “Geothermal Day” Website aims to raise awareness about environmental and economic benefits of geothermal energy and its vital role in building a clean and secure energy future. We are inviting industry partners, communities, businesses and educators to join efforts to advance further understanding and acceptance of geothermal technology as an unlimited, renewable form of energy. Join us by co-creating and sharing educational resources and participating in interactive activities in local communities and on-line. 

Jay Egg is a geothermal consultant, writer, and the owner of EggGeothermal. He has co-authored two textbooks on geothermal HVAC systems published by McGraw-Hill Professional. He can be reached at jayegg.geo@gmail.com   

Geothermal Workshop Atlanta; ASHRAE Building

GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS are assembling at the ASHRAE Building in Atlanta, GA for a Geothermal Workshop on Thursday, September 24^th, 2015.

Dr Xiaobing Liu, of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will be presenting in this “learning laboratory” as he reviews the performance of the two systems heating and cooling ASHRAE’s Head Quarters.  Which systems performs best, and by how much and why?  You’ll get to see all the facts and figures here.

The program offers Continuing Education Credits! Field trips to other sites such as Serenbe are available.

Some of the other great educational opportunities include:

Paul Bony, Director of Renewables and Contractor Development, Electric and Gas Industry Association, Sacramento, CA: CONSUMER FINANCING - AN IMPORTANT (AND UNDERUTILIZED) BRIDGING TOOL FOR THE GHP MARKET

Deborah Fritz, Senior Associate, Lord Aeck Sargent (Architects), Atlanta, GA GEOTHERMAL: THE BENEFITS FOR ARCHITECTS AND THEIR CLIENTS

Paul McCarty, Mechanical Engineer, US Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, AL: GROUND SOURCE HEATING AND COOLING: HOW IT WORKS AND BASIC DESIGN CONFIGURATIONS

Keith Swilley, Marketing Manager, Gulf Power Company, Pensacola FL: SUCCESS STORIES, MARKET POTENTIAL AND MARKET PREDICTIONS FOR THE GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTHEAST

-and many more!

Sign up now for the Geothermal Workshop at the ASHRAE Head-Quarters!

New York City GEOTHERMAL HEATING & COOLING WORKSHOP on September 9, 2015

St. Patrick's Cathedral has Geothermal

New York City GEOTHERMAL HEATING & COOLING WORKSHOP  on September 9, 2015 at the NYC Transit Building, 2 Broadway, NY, NY 10004

This program is geared toward building owners, potential end-users and professionals that design, install, finance, inspect, maintain, approve, recommend or regulate geothermal systems.

Geothermal is the most cost effective technology for reducing CO2 emissions, heating and cooling costs for buildings. This program will bring you up to speed on the latest technology applications in the ground-source heating and cooling industry. This is a MUST-ATTEND program for anybody wanting to retrofit or build new homes, multifamily units or commercial buildings.

The program will include continuing education credits:

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT ARCHITECT CREDITS – 7.25 LUS (FOR HSW) COURSE GS1405-K AND NY ENGINEER – 7.25 – COURSE GS1405-K BOTH THRU AMERICAN INST. OF ARCHITECTS (PROVIDER #G521) IGSHPA ACCREDITED INSTALLERS – 0.75 CEU’S

The Geothermal Workshop in NYC on September 9^th is featuring presenters such as Thomas Abdallah, Chief, Environmental Engineering, MTA New York City Transit NY and Samara Swanston, Legislative Attorney, NYC Council Infrastructure Division, Committee on Environmental Protection, New York, NY.

All attendees MUST PRE-REGISTER (registration and payment made by September 7 at 5PM) and show photo identification to security when entering the building. If you are not on the registration list you will not be able to attend.

The program draws on the experience & expertise of industry and agency professionals and will provide a unique opportunity for exchange of information among policy makers involved in energy issues and specialists involved with the design, construction and permitting of ground source geothermal systems for cooling and heating.  Geothermal has the potential to become the technology of choice among those considering “green energy” options for commercial or residential installations.  This one-day program is an incredible opportunity to learn from experienced professionals who are on the forefront of geothermal innovation.  

Geothermal Cover Story in MN “Contractor Magazine”

Add caption

Interest in geothermal technologies is growing as more trade and general consumer magazines are making "geothermal" the topic of focus. The August, 2015 issue of “Contractor”,  the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors saw that and ran with it.

I loved the art work for the cover and the article, and especially the fact that they are encouraging their readers to get in and get trained.  The article repeats, “Geothermal HVAC is the way the industry is going, and right now is the perfect time to get in. Here are some pointers that will help you to get involved and claim your piece of a phenomenal growth market.”

The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) and the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) are your resources for all of these efforts.

Don’t forget to get your name and support onto the National Geothermal Day website, www.geothermalday.com. These are the groups to which you and others can and should go to in order to get information, training, and to list your company as a geothermal heating and cooling entity.

Pittsburgh Geothermal Field Trip: Frick Park Environmental Center

"Frick Park Environmental Center" Geothermal Tour
(Marijke Hecht and Arlene Anderson are Pictured at the Center)
Photo: Kirsi Jansa

"GEOTHERMAL" IS ONE WORD THAT SHOULD DENOTE A SINGULAR VISION in the collective minds of consumers; “Energy from the Earth”.

“Refreshing” is another word that describes how the Geothermal Direct Use Technology & Marketplace Forum was conducted in Pittsburgh on August 17^th.

There is a good movement afoot at the DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and it involves “connecting” all of the ways that we harvest energy from the earth in a practical a sensible way.  There are certain situations where reservoirs of hot water are economically accessible for direct use in buildings, and there are even more opportunities (speaking geographically) to harvest low temperature geothermal resources, for “ground source heat pump” (GSHP) technologies.

The workshop involved an impressive cross section of expertise, featuring speakers from as far away as Iceland that shared their applied expertise on geothermal.

The day ended with a brisk forum in which attendees contributed real advice that will help government to provide real benefits to the geothermal industry. There will be a full report on these efforts on the DOE’s website soon.

Participants that were fortunate enough to stay over were treated to an impressive tour of Pittsburgh’s “Frick Park Environmental Center” on Tuesday, August 18^th. Marijke Hecht, the Director of Education for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy conducted the tour.  Her passion for children, STEM education, renewable energy and sustainable technologies was evident. The tour ended at the geothermal loop-field termination inside the building.  Marijke said that since geothermal heating and cooling is all but “invisible”, she is going to leave a portion of this piping visible to visitors with a display explaining the geothermal heating and cooling process.

Arlene Anderson, Technology Manager at the GTO will attend the American Ground Water Trust (AGWT) New York Geothermal Workshop on September 9th, 2015. Arlene will also represent the GTO at the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association’s (IGSHPA) Technical Conference and Expo in Kansas City, October 5-8, 2015.

Ever since DOE employees attended a workshop/field trip to the Kentlands Community Center in Gaithersburg, MD where geothermal energy heats and cools the community center from a pair of standing column wells (SCW). They (the GTO) appear to be in “hot pursuit” of ways to facilitate more widespread implementation of deep direct use and geothermal heating and cooling. The GTO Systems Analysis and Low-Temperature Team that Arlene belongs to is benchmarking geothermal technologies that use low-temperature geothermal in the Eastern U.S. and other regions. Arlene said that the team is interested in understanding the potential for deep direct use and GSHP in the U.S.

The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) and the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) are your resources for helping in these efforts.

Don’t forget to get your name and support on the National Geothermal Day website. These are the groups to which you and others can and should go to get information, training and list your company as a geothermal heating and cooling entity.

President Obama Accelerates Transition Toward Geothermal

August 24, 2015-White House-President Obama is committed to taking responsible steps to address climate change, promote clean energy, and ensure a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations. That is why today he is announcing a robust set of executive actions and private sector commitments to accelerate the transition to cleaner sources of energy and cut energy waste. These actions will continue to expand opportunities to install energy saving technologies in households today, particularly those that need it most, while driving the development of low-cost clean energy technologies for tomorrow.

Last year, the United States brought online as much solar energy every three weeks as it did in all of 2008, and the solar industry added jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy.  Since the beginning of 2010, the average cost of a solar electric system has dropped by 50 percent. In fact, distributed solar prices fell 10 to 20 percent in 2014 alone and currently 44 states have pricing structures that encourage increased penetration of distributed generation.

Americans are also more empowered to capture opportunities to improve efficiency and cut energy waste into the amount of energy they are consuming. In fact, up to one third of households can track their energy use and learn ways to make choices to how to save on their energy bills. Since President Obama took office, the U.S. Department of Energy has already put in place appliance efficiency standards that will save American consumers nearly $480 billion on their utility bills through 2030, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program continues to help save consumers more than $34 billion per year going forward.

The executive actions and private sector commitments President Obama is announcing today will continue to promote the use and development of smart, simple, low-cost technologies to help households save on their energy bills and help America transition to a cleaner energy sources.

Getting Geothermal Into School Curriculum

Specifically mentioned in the press release; Bosch is committing to dedicating part of its sales force to focus specifically on outreach to school districts in low income communities, as well as in extreme climate areas, where energy resiliency is paramount. These activities could include:

• Working to educate stakeholders and decision makers in low-income communities about the opportunities and benefits of high-efficiency buildings, particularly schools.
• Sharing critical information with stakeholders on how projects can be implemented in their regions, including case studies from existing Bosch school improvement projects.
• Providing best practices on how other schools integrate energy efficiency projects into student curriculum and reinforce teaching and learning about energy conservation in the classroom. 

Geothermal Direct Use Technology & Marketplace Forum to Focus on Low Temp

– Monday August 17, 2015, Pittsburgh, PA

The Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (DOE GTO) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have teamed up to bring a geothermal workshop/forum in which participants in the industry will be asked to provide personal experience, individual advice and information regarding low temperature (geothermal heat pumps) and direct use geothermal applications in the Eastern US.

The agenda includes presentations of current geothermal projects implementation from scholars and experts from the Eastern US and Iceland.

Workshop Agenda

"This workshop is a forum to exchange information on low temperature (GSHP) geothermal applications. To that end, participants will be asked to provide recommendations and information based on personal experience, individual advice, information, or facts regarding this topic. The objective of the workshop is not to obtain any group position or consensus; rather, the DOE is seeking as many recommendations as possible from all individuals at this meeting."

Some attendees will be touring the newly completed Frick Park Environmental Center GSHP installation on Tuesday morning.

Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe 1000 Corporate Dr, Canonsburg, PA 15317

Full Agenda (PDF)

How Can We Save 2-Trillion Gallons of Water?

YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH WATER...

MANY COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES use cooling towers to effectively aid in cooling.  An average public high school’s* cooling tower uses about 30,000 gallons of fresh water per day when it’s hot outside. That’s enough to fill a good sized back-yard swimming pool. Twice.  

A major airport can consume close to a million gallons of fresh water on a hot summer day, just for cooling tower operations. It’s great that we are honoring watering restrictions, fixing drips in faucets and leaky toilet valves; however there are billions of gallons of fresh water being evaporated and discharged into the sewer from cooling towers every day.

Cooling towers use the process of evaporative cooling to increase the energy efficiency of the air-conditioning equipment that serves the building. In the process, a lot of water is evaporated, and nearly as much more is flushed down the drain to purge out impurities.

The US had about 81 billion square feet of commercial space in 2010, served by 300 million tons of cooling capacity (based on floor space estimates from DOE report). This represents between 5-billion and 15-billion gallons of fresh water consumption each day. 

Buildings + Geothermal = More Fresh Water for US!

Industry has begun to embrace geothermal (elimination of cooling towers) for all the right reasons:

• Elimination of water consumption associated with cooling towers
• Elimination of tower related noise
• Elimination of chemical treatment for cooling towers
• Reduction in annual maintenance costs for HVAC system
• Storm proofing through elimination of outdoor equipment (the cooling tower)
• Impressive federal tax incentives
• Reduced capital expenditures for regular cooling tower replacement

The advantages that can be cited that make a geothermal sourced building more sustainable are many. With a reduction of water consumption (which can be close to half of all the freshwater consumed by a building), your client is saving money and doing a good thing for the environment.

Cooling towers can be rather noisy, and most will agree that elimination of this outside noise would be of benefit to both the public and occupants of the building.

Geothermal is Renewable and Energy Efficient, Too

Geothermal sourced chiller plants and heat pumps are more efficient by design, because the condenser water is cooler than can be supplied from an evaporative cooling tower, increasing the EER (Energy Efficiency Rating) substantially.

The average life of a chiller is about three decades, and most chiller plants live through two or three cooling tower replacements. With the geothermal source, these expensive planned expenses go away.

By placing a chiller plant, or any cooling tower-sourced building using water source air-conditioners/heat pumps on a geothermal source, you have created an entirely geothermal sourced building, making the entire building’s HVAC system eligible for federal tax credits. This means that when upgrading chillers and water sourced heat pump, they may be eligible for the current tax credits for geothermal systems.

Most regions of the country and the world have storm events periodically such as hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. These storm related events can destroy outside equipment. Many insurance companies will provide credits for elimination of this equipment. The New York Times said, “Geothermal Systems Arise as a Storm-Proof Resource”.  Additionally, outside equipment often needs to be winterized, and properly installed geothermal sources may save you these seasonal costs and headaches.

The federal government gives a 10% federal tax credit, and five year depreciation through the Maximum Accelerated Cost Reduction System (MACRS) on commercial geothermal systems.  With 50% bonus depreciation the first year, a $1 million upgrade can net federal tax incentives amounting to 48% of the entire cost, or federal tax incentives of $480,000.

A Helping Hand for the California Drought (and everywhere else)

The USGS says that the average American uses 80 to 100 gallons of water each day.   Cooling towers use as much fresh water as 50,000,000 US residents each day. I think that California could put that water to good use. This is in the neighborhood of 20% of the volume of water that flows over Niagara Falls each day (65 Billion gallons of water flow over Niagara Falls each day).

• Geothermal HVAC technologies save our energy and water resources. Get Ready to GEO
• New York New York Approves Landmark Thermal Network 
• Presentation on the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act: A Renewable Transition https://youtu.be/l1BEQCH47Hc  
  

*based on national average of 752 students per high school, 2000 https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/overview/table05.asp 

The Geothermal Generation Gap

All "Geothermal" is Renewable Energy From the Earth

Jefferson Tester has a name that is recognized far and wide for geothermal technologies. His accomplishments at Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are cited far and wide. But isn’t Tester just interested in “hot geothermal”?

Cornell GSHP Research
in "Geo-Outlook"

Closing the Generation Gap

Any dividing lines between the hot/direct-use geothermal and ground source heat pumps (GSHP’s) are closing rapidly. In this month’s trade magazine from the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), an article entitled, “Cornell Researching GSHP Use for Verizon” features some of Tester’s work toward GSHP implementation.

Next month, Tester will be among those featured at a Geothermal Marketplace Workshop to be held August 17^th in Pittsburgh, sponsored by the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Tester will be talking about GSHP’s.

Many special guests will be in attendance.  Bob Wyman will be sharing his updated paper, “Factors for Evaluating Heating Alternatives in New York State”.  A list of those expected to attend include David Danielson, Director of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), James Critchfield, the EPA’s Director of Green Power Partnerships,  and Tholeikur Johannesson, an expert on large scale geothermal (including GSHP's) from Iceland, in addition to an impressive list of leaders from the DOE.

GSHP's and Hot Geothermal Together at Cornell University

The application and utilization of GSHP’s completes the picture for something Tester calls “Thermal-Cascade”.  Simply put, Cascade is the process of wringing every economically feasible BTU out of the geothermal process possible.  We all know that a GSHP can provide 5 units of energy for each unit consumed, effectively exchanging energy with fluids between 25F and 110F.

Consumers continue to be puzzled by geothermal, and that’s part of the reason that experts and contractors may “talk down” to them (consumers). Questions such as, “how far will you have to drill for hot water...?” are met with answers that are confusing to the layman, frustrating to the expert (having explained geothermal countless times), and just not as shiny and simple as other great "renewables" like solar. Perhaps we needn’t explain quite so much.  I certainly don’t understand all of the operating systems that make my Android function, but it works great.  Not many people will ever understand all of the ways to utilize the earth for renewable energy.  But, Geothermal works great.

“Within your lifetime, the house you live in will 

probably be heated and cooled by geothermal energy”

Geothermal: 24/7

The environmental and economic benefits of geothermal energy and its vital role in building a clean and secure energy future are vital and necessary.  We continue to invite industry partners, communities, businesses and educators to join efforts to advance further understanding and acceptance of geothermal technology as an unlimited, renewable form of energy.

We’re on the right track, with National Geothermal Day coming up on October 20^th, 2015. Feel free to join in by co-creating and sharing educational resources and participating in interactive activities in local communities and on-line. Attend workshops and keep sharing the simple truths about geothermal as a whole.  Let’s close the Geothermal Generation Gap. 

Thermal Cascade/Connectivity in the City

Church Office Building; Geothermal Since 1972

The Geothermal in This Building Helps Fight Fires

FIREFIGHTING + HVAC = GEOTHERMAL? Give me a minute and I'll explain...

It has been repeated time and again that churches drive many worthy and valuable efforts, and when they get behind something, people listen.  I wrote about a church in Tampa that has had geothermal HVAC since 1949, and had their first equipment upgrade in 2013 while still operating on the original geothermal wells. The Catholic Church has been in the news with remarkable sustainable efforts. Here is a peak at the 683,000 square foot Mormon Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, heated and cooled by geothermal sourced heat pump chillers since 1972.

Water Sourced Heat Pumps Corrosion? Check Your Ground!

Geothermal Heat Pumps Last 25 Years or More!

GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS ARE AMONG THE MOST DEPENDABLE and long-lasting types of equipment available. Proper installation is a key factor in continued trouble free operation.

Proper grounding is important with regard to any piece of equipment that uses water as a heat transfer medium.  When leaks or corrosion occur, the first thing that is normally blamed is the water quality. You might be surprised to find out that the real culprit may be electrolysis.

Geothermal in NY State Exempt from Sales Tax

Tuesday June 9, 2015, NY. Congratulations and thank you to assembly member Ellen Jaffee, the assembly leadership, Senator Robert Ortt, the Sierra Club and NY-GEO.

New York State has led the way in legislation to make installation of geothermal heat pumps (GHP's) accessible to more New Yorkers than ever. 

Earlier this year, New York legislators attended and spoke at the NY-Geo Conference @ Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY.

Tuesday's assembly session passed A-5508 - a sales tax exemption bill for both residential and commercial geothermal heat pump installations.

Two priority bills favorable to geothermal heat pumps have passed both houses for this session stating that: 

“Geothermal energy, a renewable energy source, is a reliable and effective way to reduce the need for carbon based energy sources. By eliminating sales and use tax for both the purchase and installation of geothermal systems, more New York State residents would be able to afford this energy course. Similar laws exist to exempt sales and use tax for the purchase and installation of solar equipment.”

S2905/A2177a (25% residential tax credit up to $5,000) passed the Senate on Earth Day 4/22 and the Assembly on June 1st.

S4279/A5508 passed the Senate on Earth Day 4/22 and the Assembly on June 9th.

Jay Egg is a geothermal consultant, writer, and the owner of EggGeothermal. He has co-authored two textbooks on geothermal HVAC systems published by McGraw-HillProfessional. He can be reached at jayegg.geo@gmail.com 

Governor Cuomo Praises "Hunt Country Vineyards" for Going Geo

Governor Cuomo's Representative Stefan Fleming Addresses the Crowd

Branchport, NY (May 29, 2015):  NY-GEO’s 2015’s TOP JOB award was presented today to Hunt Country Vineyards and Moravec Geothermal for the Vineyards’ innovative and impressive geothermal heating and cooling system.   The award was presented by NY-GEO Treasurer John Manning, of Earth Sensitive Solutions in Auburn, NY.

NY-GEO Treasurer John Manning Presents 

"TOP JOB" Plaque to Kevin Moravec 

-Also: Jared Fortna and Will Lange

In a congratulatory letter, Governor Cuomo wrote:  "I am pleased to join in congratulating Hunt Country Vineyards on receiving the 2015 TOP JOB designation from the New York Geothermal Energy Organization for its geothermal heating and cooling system. This achievement reflects Hunt Country’s exemplary commitment to helping lead the way toward a greener future.  Hunt’s geothermal system provides a terrific model to other businesses and corporations across the state and enhances the vineyard’s standing as a positive force within the local community. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I applaud Hunt Country Vineyards and its partners in this venture – Moravec Geothermal and Dailey Electric – for your commitment to a more sustainable future and your continuing contributions to the local region and New York State.  You have my best wishes for continued success." 

“This is a well-deserved award for Hunt Country Vineyards.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said.  “ Through this new geothermal system the vineyard will be able to reliably handle all of their heating and cooling needs with renewable energy, a productive and efficient way to run this business.  New York Wine continues to be a growing and important part of our economy and this project proves the commitment of Hunt Country Vineyards to remain a vital part of this industry.”

Hunt Country Vineyards

Hunt’s geothermal system renewably and cleanly handles 100 percent of the heating/cooling needs for four buildings at the Winery, utilizing a single 20-ton vertical closed loop.  The buildings include the Tasting Room, the Storage Facility and the Production Facilities, and they are served by 6 to 8 ton water-to-water heat pumps.   The geothermal system also heats the process water for the red wines.   The New York State Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) provided support for this project, which is currently saving Hunt an  estimated $10,000 -$12,500 in annual propane/fuel oil/electricity bills, while providing increased comfort in summer and winter for all their facilities.

Allison Hunt from Representative Reed's Office 

Presents the Certificate to Hunt Family Members: 

Art, Joyce and Suzanne Hunt

Vineyard GM Jim Alsina Looks On

"NYSERDA congratulates Hunt Country Vineyards and Moravec Geothermal for receiving this honor," said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. "Hunt Country Vineyards has tapped into a clean source of heating and cooling, helping to significantly reduce its energy cost and its environmental footprint. This project is a good example of the innovative solutions called for by Governor Cuomo's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), a comprehensive energy strategy to build a next-generation system that is clean, resilient and affordable for all New Yorkers."

Geothermal is seen by some as “the next solar”.  The earth’s surface absorbs almost half of the incoming solar radiation, providing consistent temperatures underground.  Geothermal systems use those consistent temperatures as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer to heat and cool buildings.  Where solar photovoltaic (PV) can take care of the electricity needs of a building, geothermal takes care of the heating, cooling and hot water needs.  The two technologies complement each other, and now that solar power is successfully penetrating New York’s electricity market, renewable energy enthusiasts are pulling for geothermal to follow suit.

At the event Dailey Electric, Earth Sensitive Solutions and GEOSTAR were also recognized for their contributions to this successful project.

Hunt Country is a sixth-generation family farm.  Their wines (www.huntwines.com) have garnered over 20 major awards (Gold, Double Gold, Best of Class or Best of Show) in recent prestigious competitions across the country. Continuing their quest for energy sustainability, the Vineyard is currently working to install a solar PV system that will supply the electricity needed to run their operation.

On March 18^th, at NY-GEO’s annual conference at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, six impressive geothermal heat pump projects competed for the TOP JOB designation.  A panel of three energy experts, with input from an enthused audience, named Hunt Country Vineyards’ project the 2015 winner.

The New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) is a non-profit trade association representing more than 70 geothermal heat pump (GHP) installers, manufacturers, distributors and industry stakeholders from throughout New York State.

Support NY-Geo and the geothermal industry at these links:
NY-Geo
National Geothermal Day 2015
IGSHPA (International Ground Source Heat Pump Association) 
GEO (Geothermal Exchange Organization)

Geothermal Day 2015; This is Really Big

Geothermal Day, October 20th, 2015

"2015" IS A BIG YEAR for the geothermal industry, and what better time to officially kick off “National GeothermalDay” than April (Earth-Month)? The geothermal HVAC industry has come together in a big way to put together a brand-neutral website to which we all can go to learn more about this amazing technology.  In it, you will find helpful videos, links, answers to questions, and even brand new story-books and activities for the whole family.

Earth is a Solar Collector, and a Solar Battery

Fundamentally, geothermal heating and cooling is similar to solar energy technologies.  Earth is a great big collector of solar energy, and we can tap into that heat all year long, because the Earth is also a huge “solar-energy-battery”.

I've been a proponent of geothermal cooling and heating for a long time, and I’m very pleased with what I've found on the website, “GeothermalDay.com”. It really doesn't matter whether you rent an apartment, own a home, live in a castle, or develop real estate in Chicago, you’ll find something here that will make you smile.

“National Geothermal Day” aims to raise awareness about environmental and economic benefits of geothermal energy and its vital role in building a clean and secure energy future. We are inviting industry partners, communities, businesses and educators to join efforts to advance further understanding and acceptance of geothermal technology as an unlimited, renewable form of energy. Join us by co-creating and sharing educational resources and participating in interactive activities in local communities and on-line.

Geothermal Systems Have All the "Right Stuff"

Geothermal; perfect for Earth Day, and for every day of the year.

That's because with geothermal, your house becomes coupled with the Earth beneath, sharing that comfortable temperature with your environmentally friendly geothermal heat pump (GHP), similar to the way the roots of trees share nutrients with their branches and leaves. Take a look at some of the environmental benefits you can enjoy with geothermal system:

• Reduction in use of chemical refrigerants (geothermal usually has no refrigerant lines to the outside; just closed loop water pipes underground)
• Elimination of combustion related heating in the home (earth is the energy source; the sun replenishes warmth seasonally and continually, providing a truly renewable heating source). 
• Usage of waste heat from the compressor for Domestic Hot Water (instead of exhausting it to outside air in the summertime) further reducing environmental impacts relating to combustion or electric heating of domestic water.
• Reduced electrical consumption compared other heating and cooling systems (resulting in fewer emissions from power plants)
• Reduced Noise Pollution (from outside equipment cycling noises and distractions)
• Longer life expectancy for the geothermal heat pump (GHP), because it’s normally housed inside the structure

Geothermal Made Simple!

So, what are you waiting for?  Go onto Geothermal Day’s website and watch the video, download a children’s book, find out about resources in your area, and share it with your friends.  Use #GeoDay2015

Jay Egg is a geothermal consultant, writer, and the owner of EggGeothermal. He has co-authored two textbooks on geothermal HVAC systems published by McGraw-Hill Professional. He can be reached at jayegg.geo@gmail.com  

LinkedIn Security Breach

Disregard any Queries From EggGeo Through LinkedIn

Fraudulent Transmission Example

Please note that if you have received any LinkedIn originated mail from me (Jay Egg), it is fraudulent. A security breach of some sort has occurred and I recommend that you take the necessary steps to ensure your own security if you've attempted to act on the LinkedIn mail query.

My preferred form of communication is regular email.

To the right and below are some of the images related to the outgoing fraudulent requests and communications from LinkedIn.   Please, take the necessary steps to ensure your own security if you've attempted to act on the LinkedIn mail query.

Jay Egg

Jayegg.geo@gmail.com

PS: I am at a geothermal workshop today (April 7^th) in Austin, and will be limited in my abilities for further communication.

Is Geothermal HVAC Disruptive? –it is, but in a good way…

What Does Geothermal Have to Do With Buggy-Whips and Tube TV's?
-Not Much

The first time I’d ever heard of a disruptive technology, it didn't sound like good-news to me. As it turns out, the term refers to a technology that changes the way we do things; usually for good.  Perhaps you've heard the story of buggy whips?  Not much need for them after motor vehicles came along.

My own personal experience involved tube style TV’s.  I needed to buy a replacement TV to fit my entertainment center, because my 35” color TV finally quit.  Having had no reason to shop for a television in years, I was shocked to find that tube style TV’s were no longer sold.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Workshop to Take Place in Austin, Texas on April 7th

Learn All About Geothermal Heating and Cooling in Austin

The Geothermal Heating and Cooling Workshop is taking place in Austin, Texas on April 7^th from 8:00am to 4:30pm at the Norris Center.

Consumers in general have growing concerns over high energy consumption from AC units and related CO2 emissions, and people are flocking to Geothermal Workshops all over the country to gain a better understanding of geothermal heat pumps, and how they can improve their lives and put some hard earned cash back in their pockets.

WLKY Coverage of
Whisper Valley Geothermal

All are welcome to register and attend, with speakers covering everything from the basics of geothermal exchange to particulars of energy and fresh water savings and Net-Zero, to geothermal master planned communities such as the Whisper Valley Development of 7500 geothermal homes in Austin.

A geothermal or “earth-coupled” HVAC system is packed with "Earth Friendly" benefits, especially when compared with any other types of air-conditioning and heating systems. As heating and cooling systems go, a ground sourced system comes closest to the way Mother Nature would heat and cool your home if given the opportunity

That's because with geothermal, your house becomes coupled with the Earth beneath, sharing that temperature with your environmentally friendly geothermal heat pump, similar to the way the roots of trees share nutrients with their branches and leaves. Take a look at some of the environmental benefits you can enjoy with geothermal systems:

Geothermal Couples with the Earth; Nothing Outside

1. Reduction in use of chemical refrigerants (geothermal usually has no refrigerant lines to the outside; just closed loop water pipes underground)
2. Elimination of combustion related heating in the home (earth is the energy source; the sun replenishes warmth seasonally and continually, providing a truly renewable heating source).  Fundamentally, geothermal heating is no different than solar heating.  Earth is the great big solar collector, and we can tap into that heat all year long (with or without solar collectors).  A better answer!
3. Enabling the use of waste heat from the compressor for Domestic Hot Water (instead of exhausting it to outside air in the summertime) further reducing environmental impacts relating to combustion or electric heating of domestic water.
4. Reduced electrical consumption compared other heating and cooling systems (resulting in fewer  emissions from power plants)
5. Reduced Noise Pollution (from outside equipment cycling noises and distractions)
6. Net-Zero is more easily attained through Solar PV in combination with the remarkable energy savings with Geo.
7. Commercial Buildings can eliminate fresh water consumption from cooling towers with geothermal exchange. 

#GeoDay2015

Pre-Register here to ensure you have a seat.

More information on Geo? Just use #GeoDay2015 for social media, and checkout the Geothermal Day Website , IGSHPA and the Geothermal Exchange Organization. 

Jay Egg is a geothermal consultant, writer, and the owner of EggGeothermal. He has co-authored two textbooks on geothermal HVAC systems published by McGraw-Hill Professional. He can be reached at jayegg.geo@gmail.com .