NewsToUse

Members Marc Cucarola and Al Wallace are featured in a Fox News video that highlights the benefits and growth of geo energy throughout the western US.  Dr. John Lund from the National Renewable Energy Lab also makes an appearance touting his $10/month heating bill for his geoexchange heated home. 

Marc Cucarola just completed a "Next Gen" (Next Generation) home at Wild Pointe Ranch in Elizabeth, CO, which features advanced building science technologies and energy systems. The 2,800 sf home was included in a recent Fox News video.  Blue Valley Energy president Monte Schmidt reports that the company has moved from Boulder to a new facility in Longmont. CoGEHPA welcomes new members: Thomas Beck, Les Eurich and Mark Galbraith.

Does your company install ground loops for geothermal heating and cooling systems? Do you want to help promote geothermal heat pumps? Do you want to increase your ground loop business? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the GHPsRUS Project needs you! The GHPsRUS Project is asking ground loop installers across the country to take a few minutes to complete the Ground Loop Survey. Your participation in the brief survey could lead to more GHPs being installed across the country and result in more business for you. Data collected will be kept confidential and used only in the aggregate. For more information.

With assistance from the National Renewable Energy Lab and some of the nation’s top geo energy experts, Pagosa Springs is on track to drive economic development from its geothermal resources. Colorado's longest serving Mayor for 33 years, Ross Aragon, is leading revolutionary economic change and development in his town by driving geothermal business opportunities related to aquaculture, organic food from geothermal heated greenhouses, and clean energy with a new geothermal district heating system.  The community recently sent 10 key leaders to the Governor's Energy Office Geothermal Working Group conference and made 3 presentations highlighting that Pagosa is ‘open for business’ in the Clean Energy Industry. For more information.

According to a recent article in the Santa Fe New Mexican the use of geothermal heat pump systems in New Mexico is increasing.  The Santa Fe Civic Housing project is one example of large scale, new construction that is going geo, utilizing 119 geothermal pumps to heat, cool and provide hot water for the 110 homes and two community centers. Other geo applications in the state include the Espanola City Hall and Fort Sumner Municipal Schools. The Jicarilla Apache tribe is considering geoexchange to heat a new agriculture building. A geothermal state tax credit approved in 2009 helped stimulate the number of systems residential customers ordered and ensured that installers are professionally certified." Full story.

With a 16% increase in sales for ground source heat pumps and larger applications for multi-family houses and commercial buildings, more than 100,000 heat pumps were sold in Sweden in 2010. This thriving market has had significant impacts on Sweden’s use of heating oil, which has been reduced by 75% over the past 20 years. More than 50% of the single family homes use heat pumps. Source: IEA Heat Pump Centre Newsletter, Vol 29, #2, 2011.

Colorado residential users of Xcel electricity are now eligible to tap a rebate for installing a ground source heat pump.  The heat pump must be ENERGY STAR qualified and part of a closed-loop system with a minimum COP of 3.3 and EER rating of 14.1.  The rebate is $300/ton with a cap of $1,500.  

The heat pump must be installed by a contractor who is a registered participant in Xcel Energy’s cooling program. Registered contractors must be NATE or IGSHPA certified. Only registered contractors will have rebate applications.

Eligible equipment must be installed between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2011, and applications must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2012.

More details.