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.