Central Washington University (CWU) is harnessing geothermal technology to meet our goals of reducing campus-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and becoming a net-zero carbon campus no later than 2050. Construction is currently underway for CWU’s GeoEco Center and North Academic Complex (NAC), which will replace two energy-inefficient academic buildings constructed in the 1970s.

The GeoEco Center will utilize an open-loop ground source heat pump system to provide heating and cooling for a half-million square feet of built infrastructure on campus, including the NAC. The geothermal plant is expected to be in operation by early 2026 and will serve as a catalyst for CWU’s efforts to decarbonize its district energy system over the next 15 years. CWU’s first GeoEco Center, along with the demolition of two aging and energy-inefficient buildings, will lead to a reduction of 33,000 metric tons of carbon emissions over the course of 50 years.

Approximately 60% of CWU’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to using natural gas for heating buildings across campus. CWU owns and manages a district energy system (also referred to as a central plant), consisting of three water-cooled chillers and four steam hot water boilers that provide the majority of the heating and cooling for campus buildings. CWU is committed to investing in forward-thinking geothermal technology to effectively decarbonize its heating and cooling infrastructure.

The equipment for the geothermal system will include an injection well, extraction well, a six-pipe heat pump, and a groundwater heat exchanger, which will help ensure there is no groundwater contamination. The groundwater will not be consumed and will only serve as an energy exchanger. The extraction well will pull groundwater from the Ellensburg aquifer (800-1,000 feet below the Earth's surface) and the injection well will reintroduce the groundwater to the aquifer.

The GeoEco Center will also have a solar array and an educational dashboard for students, faculty, staff, and community members interested in learning more about the function and mechanics of the geothermal system. An added benefit is that CWU’s GeoEco Center will serve as a model for other institutions and agencies seeking to decarbonize their district energy systems. 

CWU received additional funding from the Washington State Legislature earlier this year to install and construct a second geothermal injection and extraction well, but these funds are contingent upon the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) surviving a potential repeal during the November election. If the CCA is repealed, CWU will lose the funding for a second geothermal plant and experience significant barriers to achieving its greenhouse gas reduction goals. 

For more details regarding the mechanics of CWU’s Geo-Eco Center, check out the presentation from  Anthony Schoen, Principal, Mechanical Systems at MW Engineers. To read more about CWU’s goals and strategies to decarbonize its campus, please read CWU’s Climate Action Plan, which was completed in early 2024. For questions or additional information, please contact CWU Sustainability Officer Jeff Bousson or Director of Capital Planning and Projects Delano Palmer.

Rochester, MN has long been known as the home to the Mayo Clinic, and the Destination Medical Center (DMC) that has earned itself a reputation that warrants respect and is the Holy Grail of medical facilities worldwide. Because of this, the people of Rochester have embraced the spirit of putting themselves at the forefront of implementing technologies and systems that will set a precedent for people, communities, and organizations everywhere.

Rochester's architectural beauty also shines through its diverse array of buildings. Historic landmarks like the Plummer Building with its Chateau design to modern marvels like the Mayo Civic Center, which hosted a very special event this year.

What is it that’s causing so much commotion in the City of Rochester?

The answer is simple; Thermal Energy Networks (TENs).

In a nutshell, Thermal Energy Networks, or TENs, are utility-scale thermal energy infrastructure projects connecting multiple buildings into a shared network with thermal energy sources such as geothermal boreholes, surface water, and wastewater. In many ways, it’s just as straightforward as it sounds and the results are clear; TENs will make a massive impact on decarbonizing Rochester, offer more reliable and efficient energy exchange to the buildings in the network, and make Rochester eligible for the financial benefits and subsidies of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Rochester is a place that experiences all four seasons; therefore, it can experience frigid days as well as hot days. Heat pump efficiency declines as the source temperature outside drops or increases dramatically during summer and winter seasons.  The more extreme the temperature, the more an air source heat pump product will struggle against those hot and cold spells to deliver heating and cooling. By struggle, we are talking about remarkable spikes in energy consumption.

This is not true with properly engineered geothermal heat pump systems. Individual geothermal heat pump systems for buildings are remarkably efficient. Even better, When those heat pumps are installed in a TEN configuration, They can share energy with heat pumps operating in different modes. This is called load diversification and is often described as sharing of thermal energy. The concept is that heat pumps in the cooling mode reject heat that can be used by heat pumps in the heating mode. When you think of ice rinks, swimming pools, southern exposures, and northern exposures, it's easy to understand how it is that we can decarbonize an entire city just by linking the buildings together with a thermal energy network.

The first cost of geothermal boreholes, exchangers and other variations can be high.  However, when buildings are linked together with the thermal energy network utility, buildings can simply tap into the pipeline, eliminating the individual costs of drilling expensive geothermal boreholes. You can compare it to the cost of drilling your own water well, versus tying into the city water service. The cost of the geothermal exchanger is normalized as a utility, like drinking water, sewer, and natural gas. With a TEN, the consumer can hook up a geothermal heat pump in much the same way a furnace or boiler is connected to a natural gas service. Only, with a 10, the renewable fuel is the energy potential of moving water. Pure water is one of the best conductors of thermal energy available today. Like the Circulating water in a plumbing system, if there were to be a leak, water will not ignite.

There is much that we can learn from communities that are implementing Thermal Energy Networks, and that was what Geothermal Rising (GR), and the City of Rochester were thinking as they planned the Rochester Thermal Energy Network Symposium. The City Simply wanted to share with and learn from others throughout the country the lessons learned. The result was an impactful cross-section of people, organizations, and companies gathered to hold a Symposium around TENs, and it was a resounding success.

For three days, experts assembled at the Mayo Civic Center and attended presentations and panels, while networking and discussing where this technology will go next. Attendees included engineers, geologists, union representatives, energy companies, legislators, DOE representatives, National Labs, and architects.

Mike Richter, President, Brightcore Energy, NHL Stanley Cup Champion, US Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic Medalist said this regarding the Symposium, “This is the first hopefully of many…” and spoke about the importance of events like these being crucial for the industry and its growth, citing that those who attended the Symposium were influential and motivated people who could push for more of what’s happening in Rochester. “There is an incredible amount of knowledge in this room. The onus is on us as an industry to continue to educate and distribute the virtues of geothermal generally and TENs specifically in every way possible!”, Mike added, confidently endorsing the event and hoping for another like it soon.

With so much happening, a room full of movers and shakers in the industry, and a City set to grow and lead the way for others to see, it’s obvious that Rochester wants to learn from, and share what they are learning with any communities wishing to take the same steps toward implementation of TENs. It was wonderful to see the Mayor of Rochester, Kim Norton embrace this technology in her remarks.

The topics discussed at the Symposium varied widely, offering something for everyone in attendance. It was widely agreed that the event educated every attendee in some new way, having heard presentations and panels including union representatives, government officials, architects, geologists, and engineers focused on geothermal technologies.

One of the highlights of the event was a tour to see the heat pump and Thermal Energy Network system under Rochester’s City Hall. Folks had the chance to get up close and personal with the technology being discussed. Leading the tours was Rochester’s Facilities Manager Scot Ramsey. He explained the geothermal heat pump system, its geothermal wells, and how it worked as he guided groups through the geothermal equipment room.  He provided clear explanations in a way that anyone could understand.

While networking at the Symposium, I (Mimi Egg) had a chance to speak with many attendees and hear their thoughts on the event and its potential impact on the industry. Here are some of those with whom I had conversations:

Jonathan Hernandez, Director Of Business Development for Geothermal at Brightcore Energy had plenty to say on the topic, emphasizing how it has, “…brought about a scalability that is interesting to everyone.” It’s a fascinating take on the way that this Symposium could shift the discussion surrounding thermal energy networks in the industry. Hernandez stressed that one of the things he wanted most out of this event was to see what the industry was looking forward to, he added that, “…this is about finding opportunities more than being presented them.”

The industry is growing dramatically in a dynamic way; everyone is looking for the roadmap, and for what’s next, how to grow, how to prosper, where to turn next, and the TENs symposium sparked that “something” for the attendees.

Eric Bosworth, Manager, Clean Technologies, Eversource Energy shared valuable information on the first thermal energy network to be installed across property boundaries in the modern era of utility networks. Eric is the Geothermal project manager in Framingham. He experienced a difficult learning curve as Framingham, Massachusetts constructed the first utility owned thermal energy network, or “U-TEN”.

Pete Wyckoff, Assistant Commissioner of Commerce, State of Minnesota presented a bounty of information on the development of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Pete served behind the scenes in the US Senate. He is described as a scientist that never gave up on passing the inflation reduction act. Minnesota is fortunate to have him working in the commerce division of energy resources.

Equipment Manufacturers served on two panels representing several major brands including ClimateMaster, Oilon, Ice-Air, WaterFurnace, Enertech, & Multiaqua.  Attendees were treated to presentations on high temp heat pumps that can produce nearly 250° F4 retrofits and high temp buildings, dual source heat pumps that can be installed as air source and converted to Geothermal once the utility thermal energy network is installed, and multi-source heat pumps that use predictive technology to determine whether to exchange energy with the outside air or the thermal energy network.

CORECHEM, A heat transfer fluid manufacturer provided insightful intelligence on heat transfer of fluids. CORECHEM’s Mission is to protect our environmental resources with safe water-based heat transfer fluids in the event of any leakage, and provide services to ensure decades of trouble free heat transfer between our buildings and geothermal exchange resources. Heat transfer fluids are the lifeblood of thermal energy networks, and like any circulatory system, the fluid in thermal energy networks must be meticulously maintained and chemically balanced for trouble free equipment operation in cities and communities throughout the world.

John Ciovacco, President, Aztech Geothermal | Immediate Past President of NY-GEO co-hosted the event and provided a tremendous amount of organizational help, making the event flow well and provide concise and clear information to attendees. Aztech Geothermal is and New York based engineering and service company that has promoted geothermal technologies and has been involved in a multitude of thermal energy network utility systems throughout the northeast.

Heather Deese, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Dandelion Energy (a Google X spin out) shared Dandelion’s vertical integration concept. The company has installed thousands of geothermal heat pumps into various communities throughout their growing servicer area. They own the drill rigs, employ the people, design the systems, and have been a motivating factor in the national uptake of geothermal heat pump technologies worldwide

Mike Luster, Sr. Mechanical Systems Engineer, Mayo Clinic Spoke of their $5 billion plus expansion of the Mayo Clinic in downtown Rochester. His even-tempered explanation of Mayo's commitment to decarbonization was inspiring to all present. It is Mike's responsibility is to oversee the overall mechanical systems operation for the massive Mayo Clinic campuses. He is looking forward to utilizing geothermal technologies to decarbonize Mayo’s mechanical systems.

Michael Albertson, President, SHARC Energy Shared the exciting expansion of Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) throughout the world. This is perhaps the most underutilized energy technology in the United states. Billions of kilowatt hours of energy are literally flushed and swept down the drain before we have a chance to recover and reject BTUs into that wastewater energy stream. Mike likes to say that we already have a thermal energy network installed under our streets; it's our sanitary sewer system.

W. Boyd Lee, VP Strategic Planning, CKenergy Electric Cooperative gave an impactful presentation and was able to clearly delineate how geothermal heat pumps reduce peak demand. Boyd illustrated how their energy cooperative can fund geothermal loops 100% and recover those funds within just a couple of years In peak electrical demand savings. His presentation provided decisive and conclusive evidence that implementation of geothermal technologies in any community will provide peak demand reduction to such a degree that the systems pay for themselves.

Brooke Carlson, MA, MPH, City Council President, Rochester, Minnesota shared her vision for the expansion of thermal energy networks throughout the city. Individuals such as Brooke are integral to moving this technology along in communities nationwide.

Patrick Seeb, Executive Director, Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency Talked about the partnership that Mayo has with the city of Rochester through the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency. Rochester has a unique relationship with the Mayo Clinic through the advocacy of the destination Medical Center (DMC).

Senator Amy Klobuchar, United States Senator (MN) Dazzled attendees with her personal address to the Rochester Thermal Energy Networks Symposium attendees, citing many projects throughout Minnesota that have helped Minnesota to become a shining beacon of renewable energy efforts.

Mayor Kim Norton shared in a one-on-one interview that she hadn’t initially had much experience with Thermal Energy Networks prior to this project. Her introduction to geothermal systems came when her brother installed a geothermal heat pump in his home. That is a persuasive argument for how one person’s example can lead to such a major step toward decarbonization with reliable, efficient energy systems for all involved. Mayor Norton said that Thermal Energy Networks are, “…bringing an exciting new technology with a smaller footprint and better efficiency…” adding that she couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

Lauren Boyd, incoming Director at the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) shared her gratitude witnessing the remarkable growth in the Thermal Energy Networks arena. She said that she will continue to work with the GTO and the DOE to foster expansion of these and all types of geothermal technologies throughout the US.

Faith Martinez Smith, Energy Policy & Regulatory Analyst at NREL shared the research she has been working on that will make it easier to access information of all kinds for implementation of geothermal heat pumps at the state and local levels.  Stay tuned for program from NREL that will revolutionize our access to these programs!

John Murphy, is the Business Representative for the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the United Association (UA). The UA is a labor union which represents workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in the United States and Canada, which represents nearly 400,000 families in the North America.  John shared some wonderful insights into our workforce. The UA has been the catalyst for moving these systems forward in North America. John made it clear that our nation’s workforce is ready to put in these massive piping projects underneath the streets of our communities and cities nationwide. The UA was the primary catalyst in the passage of the New York thermal energy networks and JOBS Act of 2022. It was signed into law in July of 2022 by Governor Hochul and required every publicly regulated utility to design and install several UTENs in their service area.

The Electric Power Board in Chattanooga TN sent three of their representatives, including the CEO, CFO, and their Strategic Planning Supervisor. After attending the symposium, Daniel Crawley, Strategic Planning Supervisor in charge of geothermal projects said, “…that Symposium was what we needed, and I don't say that lightly. We needed that to get connected with some of the people that are in your world.”

On the final day of the Symposium, we had the honor of hearing from Betony Jones, labor advisor to US Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm and Director of The Office of Energy Jobs at the Department of Energy. It was fascinating to be joined by someone with such a great perspective on the implementation of sustainable technology and particularly the work being done to decarbonize The United States built environment. When asked what she thought the Symposium has done for Rochester and communities nationwide, she said, “It brings together the pipe trades and other labor unions with businesses and utilities,” emphasizing the presence of those organizations and individuals representing unions and trades at the symposium. She called out the possibility of this being a great setting for organizations and policymakers who are trying to “figure out how to decarbonize.” Ironically, Betony arrived on the third day of the symposium, the day after the labor union representatives had to head out for other obligations. She even asked from the podium if any other representatives of the Energy Department were at the Symposium, and was told that she just missed Lauren Boyd, who was there the 1st and 2nd day but had to depart before Betony arrived.

The Thermal Energy Network Symposium certainly made a splash, showcasing Rochester and even earning a spot on the local TV news with interviews featuring Scot Ramsey, Manager of Facilities & Property, City of Rochester, and Bryant Jones of executive director of Geothermal Rising, the organizer of the event. The Symposium has set the foundation for continued Thermal Energy Network gatherings throughout the country in coming decades.

No one wants to be the first to go, everybody wants to be the second one. The truth is, the first ones are those we always remember, and Rochester took a leap of faith and has seen it begin to pay off already. It’s been an incredible ride, and the TENs Symposium was the perfect way to punctuate what has been years of researching, planning, and working toward what is being celebrated today.

Record heat waves in Texas, massive floods in New England, devastating fires in Hawaii, and urban heat pockets in cities. Climate change creates a significant public health challenge. Geothermal offers solutions to improve public health and protect the environment. 

Geothermal is the energy source naturally produced by the Earth. It is a proven technology with decades of utilization across the United States where it provides cooling, heating, and electricity. Geothermal has been heating Boise, Idaho since 1892, generating electricity since the 1960s in northern California, and provides air conditioning to buildings across the country. 

The underlying energy source––the literal heat beneath our feet––is local, 100% American, and offers a stable and reliable form of energy. Government agencies and academic institutions have already identified more than enough untapped Earth-powered energy in the United States alone to meet the nation’s energy needs while also achieving its emissions goals. 

In fact, the total amount of heat energy in the Earth’s crust is many times greater than the energy available globally from all fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Geothermal not only offers clean firm, reliable, and stable baseload power, but it can also efficiently cool and heat your home! 

Geothermal (or ground source) heat pumps utilize the constant 55-degree Fahrenheit temperature just a handful of feet below the earth’s surface to transfer heat out of your home when it is hot and bring this warm temperature into your home when it is cold. 
The public health and environmental benefits of geothermal energy are enormous, underutilized, and not well known by the public.

Traditional air-conditioning and air source heat pumps remove dangerous heat from buildings and provide life-saving shelter and comfort. Unfortunately, these air-conditioning systems worsen other problems. 

Heat is not so much eliminated as it is moved from one location to another. When a building interior is cooled, that heat is transferred to the exterior surroundings. In dense urban areas, this effect increases local temperatures, exacerbating the heat wave in places that are already heat islands as a result of urbanization. Heat exposure is associated with heat stroke, loss of labor productivity, decreases in learning, dangerous dehydration, and even heat-related deaths. 

Geothermal offers a critical solution to urban areas across the country. Geothermal cooling systems can reduce building interior temperatures without heating the surrounding air space, eliminating the intensification of urban heat islands. Geothermal moves heat underground where it can dissipate naturally and also serves as a form of energy storage. 

This energy can be utilized later when temperatures drop, and people turn up their home thermostats in the fall and winter. This process makes geothermal ground-source heat pumps 40% more efficient than air-source heat pumps saving people money while also improving the public health of communities. 

Extreme heat and extreme cold events have become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. This presents significant challenges for the energy sector and electric grid. In extreme heat events, air-conditioning is a life-saving tool, but air-conditioning requires significant electricity, placing additional stress on electric grids and generation systems. 

This strain can lead to blackouts which create a serious risk of heat-related illness and mortality. 

Similarly, extreme cold events in typically warm areas create unmanageable demand on the electric grid. Due in large part to the failure of the Texas Interconnect power grid during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, 4.5 million Texans lost power and hundreds of people lost their lives. Longer-duration power outages caused widespread disruptions to water treatment plants, making municipal water unsafe to drink for almost 13 million people.

Geothermal power is available 24/7 and is resilient to extreme weather. As such, it complements wind and solar energy, which can fluctuate and produce only intermittent power and can be disrupted by extreme weather events. 

Geothermal heat pumps are far more efficient than their air-source counterparts, especially at high and low temperatures, and therefore do not place as much strain on the electrical grid as traditional air conditioners and electric furnaces. The combination of reliable

24/7 geothermal power and widespread geothermal heat pump utilization would dramatically improve the resiliency of our electrical grids and reduce the tragic public health risks associated with grid instability.

Geothermal offers a more resilient, environmentally friendly, and renewable energy resource to communities everywhere. Unlike other clean energy technologies such as nuclear, biomass, wind, and solar energy as well as battery storage––geothermal provides these benefits with no harmful waste by-products or mining operations. 

Geothermal energy does not depend on extractive activities (i.e., mining) that have a history of adversely impacting the environment and Indigenous communities. Unlike fossil fuel-fired power plants, geothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity.

Geothermal power plants have the lowest lifecycle carbon footprint of all renewable energy technologies, including wind and solar. 

Geothermal power plants emit 97% less acid rain-causing sulfur compounds and about 99% less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel power plants of similar size. In addition to carbon dioxide, fossil fuel-fired power plants emit Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), and fine particulates which harm the human respiratory system. These emissions can also react with sunlight and volatile organic compounds in the air to form ozone pollution. 

Elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone and fine particles, which research shows aggravate heart and lung disease, can lead to heart attacks, asthma attacks, stroke, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection, and other serious health effects. Every year, pollution from power plants causes fine particle and ground-level ozone-related premature deaths, new asthma cases and asthma exacerbations, heart attacks, and lost school and work days.

Geothermal power plants do not pose the public health risks associated with fossil fuel-fired power plants, and more widespread geothermal power generation can alleviate the negative public health consequences associated with other power sources by reducing our need for mining critical minerals. 

Increasing the amount of geothermal power on the grid and accelerating the adoption of geothermal heat pumps will reduce the need for fossil fuel-fired power plants which will alleviate the negative health outcomes of people and communities living close to polluting power plants.  

We can find geothermal just below our feet, literally everywhere. It provides 24/7 pollution-free power, cooling, and heating that is safe, resilient, reliable, local, and American. 

Geothermal can alleviate public health risks associated with pollution, extreme weather events, and urban heat islands. It is safe to live in close proximity to geothermal power generation and it is a nearly invisible technology. The major hurdle holding back the adoption and widespread use of geothermal is the lack of familiarity of this technology among the media, policymakers, investors, and the public.

The climate crisis is happening right now. The solution is geothermal.

It is extraordinary to think that just beneath our feet there’s enough energy to meet all the world’s energy needs. It is an abundant resource that can be harnessed for human use. Geothermal is a clean and renewable energy source that remains underutilized despite it being a mature and proven resource. Geothermal is the most environmentally friendly energy technology, has the ability to decarbonize heating and cooling of buildings and industry, and can generate dispatchable and baseload electricity all from ample and local geothermal resources. Geothermal presents a compelling case for widespread adoption, and it must become one of the leading protagonists if we are to genuinely address the ongoing climate crisis and successfully transform into a clean energy economy.

The primary energy associated with geothermal is the heat energy that naturally exists beneath the Earth's surface! There are different ways to use the natural heat of the earth. Geothermal heat pumps (also known as ground source) utilize temperatures about two meters below the ground to heat AND cool buildings. Other geothermal technologies use heat energy several kilometres below that is at very high temperatures and is produced by the natural decay of materials within the Earth's crust. Importantly, geothermal energy is constantly replenished, therefore renewable!

Deep within the earth is the hottest part of our planet, the core, which is about 2,900 kilometres below our feet. The extremely high temperature of the core (5,200°C or 9,392°F) serves as limitless battery, recharging the heat beneath our feet that can be used to create geothermal heating, cooling, and power capabilities.

Here are some of the advantages of geothermal:

1. Geothermal is always available: Like other renewable energy sources, geothermal is essentially unlimited, but unlike intermittent renewables it is not affected by season, climate or weather conditions. This is referred to a having high capacity factor of which geothermal has the highest of all renewable energy sources making geothermal a more stable, reliable, and consistent technology. Energy generated from this resource is easy to predict with a high degree of accuracy as it doesn’t fluctuate in the same way as other renewable energy sources, such as solar, hydro, and wind. Geothermal energy is both renewable and sustainable due to the hot reservoirs within the earth being continually and naturally replenished.
2. Geothermal energy plants have a small footprint: Geothermal power plants as well as heating and cooling systems only require modest amounts of space, in contrast with the wide-ranging expanses of land and mining operations needed for intermittent, oil and gas, nuclear and coal energy. Whether it’s a domestic geothermal heat pump system or a large-scale geothermal power plant, most of the components, including the heat exchangers, are buried underground with very little remaining above ground. In homes, a geothermal heat pump is about the size of a household appliance while in geothermal power plants the largest components are the cooling towers and the turbines. Large geothermal power plants can have a visual impact on the landscape, but these days newer architectural designs minimize the visual impact on the landscape.
3. Geothermal energy provides more energy: Aside from time for maintenance, geothermal energy can work at full capacity non-stop because delivery is constant. This is very different to photovoltaic, hydroelectric and wind systems which rarely work at full capacity due to technical and environmental limitations. This means that more power is generated using less land and for the same nominal power. For example, a 9 MW geothermal plant will on average generate energy for about 5,500 homes a year whereas the average 9 MW solar plant can power only 1,800 homes per year. This translates into a lower impact on the environment, less mining for critical minerals, and reduced risk of geopolitical conflict.
4. Geothermal power plants are quiet: While working at full capacity, geothermal power plants run at negligible noise levels. As with all construction, during the building phase of the plants there will be some noise but once the construction is complete, everything runs quietly. This applies to not only geothermal heat pump systems but to larger power stations where several turbines are spinning.
5. Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly: The carbon impact of a geothermal power plant is very low. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, geothermal has the smallest lifecycle carbon footprint of all renewable energy technologies, including wind and solar. Geothermal power generation produces little—if any—nitrous oxide, methane, or sulphur dioxide in contrast with other generation technologies. Binary-cycle geothermal plants, which operate in a closed cycle, release essentially zero emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office. By utilising the earth’s natural heat, geothermal energy significantly decreases our carbon footprint contributing to cleaner air and a healthier planet.
6. Geothermal power optimises resources: Geothermal plants have components that can be salvaged and reused at the end of the installation’s lifecycle. Furthermore, during operation, the flows of energy are optimized in such a way as utilize any heat that can’t be used immediately for power generation back into the circuit using the steam pipes that power the plant, leading to greater energy efficiency. Geothermal does not require any critical minerals and all materials needed (steel and cement) are easily sourced from North America.
7. Geothermal plants are long-lasting, safe, and reliable: Geothermal heat pumps have an operating life span of over 20 years whereas a traditional furnace last just 7 to 10 years. Geothermal power plants have very long life spans, with some lasting up to 80 and even over 100 years. Geothermal power plants such as Lardarello in Italy (1913), Wairakei in New Zealand (1958), and The Geysers in California (1960) still use original operational infrastructure and wells. This is remarkable longevity when compared to a natural gas combined-cycle plant which normally lasts around 30 years. Because there are no fuels involved there is no risk of fire and overall, this type of system guarantees excellent reliability. Additionally, geothermal power plants have low operating costs once the initial infrastructure is in place making them economically competitive in the long run.
8. Geothermal plants require very little maintenance: Especially when it comes to geothermal heat pumps, geothermal applications don’t need any special maintenance. Because geothermal heat pumps are closed systems, the pressure of the fluid in the piping self-regulates and the number of electrical and mechanical elements that can break down is also minimal.
9. Geothermal can be used to both heat and cool: Geothermal systems can be installed in almost any type of building: from homes to shopping malls, public buildings, and sports centres. A geothermal heat pump is actually a two-in-one HVAC system used for both heating and cooling. Despite the misleading name, geothermal “heat pumps” are just as effective at cooling your home or office in the summer as they are at heating it in the winter!
10. Geothermal heat pumps can reduce overall energy consumption in your home: As well as providing air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, geothermal has other advantages when used in the home. For example, it can reduce energy consumption by between 30% and 70% because it can also do the job of a boiler by heating water for use in the kitchen and bathroom.
11. Geothermal improves public health: Traditional air-conditioning removes dangerous heat from buildings and provides life-saving shelter and comfort. Unfortunately, air-conditioning systems worsen two other problems. First, heat is not so much removed or eliminated as it is moved from one location to another. When a building interior is cooled, that thermal energy is transferred to the exterior surroundings. In dense urban areas, this effect increases local temperatures, exacerbating the heat wave in places that are already heat islands as a result of urbanization. A geothermal heating and cooling system can reduce building interior temperatures without heating the surrounding air space by storing and dissipating heat underground. Additionally, geothermal heat pumps are 40% more efficient than their air-source counterparts, especially at high and low temperatures. 
12. Geothermal energy creates record numbers of jobs: Geothermal creates more jobs per megawatt hour than all other renewable energy technologies, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For the same installed power, geothermal energy creates more direct and indirect employment than any other type of renewable. Geothermal creates 34 jobs per installed megawatt compared to 19 created by wind power and 12 by photovoltaic energy.
13. Geothermal pays local communities: Over the course of 30 to 50 years an average 20 MW geothermal generation facility will pay nearly $6.3 to $11 million dollars in property taxes plus $12 to $22 million in annual royalties. Seventy-five percent of these royalties ($9.2 to $16.6M) go directly back to the state and county.
14. Geothermal energy can improve energy independence and security: Geothermal energy can contribute to enhancing a nation's energy independence and security. By utilising domestic and locally sourced geothermal resources, countries can reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels and critical minerals, minimizing geopolitical risks associated with energy supply chains. Developing geothermal projects can strengthen a nation's energy portfolio and provide a stable and secure source of energy for future generations.
15. Geothermal energy has huge potential: Currently, worldwide energy consumption from geothermal resources is around 15 terawatts but the total potential energy from geothermal sources is far greater. While most of the geothermal potential is still yet untapped, there is robust research and development happening in the industry that will increase the number of recoverable geothermal resources in the future. It is estimated that new technologies to create Engineered, or Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), can add 100 gigawatts of geothermal power to the grid (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy). The 2019 GeoVision analysis concluded that, with advancements in EGS, geothermal could power more than 40 million U.S. homes by 2050 and provide heating and cooling solutions nationwide. Advancements in closed-loop or Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS) will unlock even more opportunity for geothermal. Additionally, super-hot rock (SHR) technologies have the potential to generate terawatts of power.
16. Geothermal energy use is rapidly evolving: There is growing interest and new research into geothermal innovations. New technologies, such as refined heat pumps, EGS, closed loop systems (AGS), SHR, improved drilling techniques, and more efficient turbines, are being created all the time to improve the energy process. There are an ever-increasing number of projects to improve and grow this area of industry. Within the last few years there have been over 40 geothermal energy start-ups founded in North America.

Geothermal energy has numerous advantages that make it an ideal option for a sustainable transformation to a healthier, more equitable, vibrant economy. With its renewable and clean nature, consistent availability, long-term viability, and versatile applications, geothermal energy offers a path towards a greener and more resilient and stable energy future. By embracing this remarkable resource, we can reduce our carbon footprint, combat climate change, and ensure a more sustainable and just planet for generations to come.

To learn more about harnessing the power of geothermal energy, contact Geothermal Rising, a community that advocates for the growth and deployment of geothermal energy. Founded in 1972, Geothermal Rising is a community of geologists, climate activists, oil and gas professionals, drill rig operators, environmentalists, geochemists, subsurface reservoir modelers and more. Geothermal Rising represents and speaks for an aligned geothermal industry. The non-profit is a renewable energy think tank designed to familiarize and inform audiences about the value and benefits of geothermal energy for heating and cooling as well as electricity generation. Please visit www.geothermal.org.

To learn more about renewable energy technology and how they can be deployed please visit: https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/

There are three types of geothermal energy:
•    Geothermal power plants that produce electricity
•    Direct use and direct heating systems
•    Geothermal heat pumps
Let’s explore each of these exciting natural possibilities. Why? So, we can use the earth to save the earth.

Across the United States and around the world, there are reservoirs of hot water. This water can be found near the earth’s surface, or deeper down. The water is extremely hot, with temperatures ranging from 300° to 700°F. Geothermal power plants use the steam from the hot water to produce electricity.

It’s a simple process. The steam creates energy that rotates a turbine. The turbine activates a generator and electricity is produced. And this is a natural resource, so we’re using these reservoirs in the earth to power the earth.

Geothermal power plants are built where the reservoirs of hot water are located. In the U.S., most of the reservoirs are in the western states, but there are also reservoirs in the South, Midwest, and East Coast. This means that we can be using this natural resource more than we are currently.

And scientists and engineers are working on innovative technologies that will allow geothermal power plants to be built anywhere around the world, serving clean and renewable electricity at any time!

There’s another kind of geothermal energy that’s readily available called geothermal direct heat. It’s a simple process: direct heat comes from the water found in rock beneath the earth’s surface. The hot water in the rock reservoirs produces heat and steam, but isn’t hot enough to be economical to generate electricity. This water is captured and piped into buildings to provide heat, melt ice on roads and sidewalks, and warm fishing farms, greenhouses, and swimming pools.

Direct heat systems are already in use all around the world to make our lives better. For example, direct heat systems provide heat for most of the buildings in Reykjavik, Iceland. Direct heat is also used for food dehydration, pasteurizing milk, and mining gold. It’s an easily accessible and effective geothermal energy source.             

Finally, there are geothermal heat pumps. These heat pumps work by using the heat that naturally occurs in the ground. Did you know that temperatures in the earth 10 feet below ground range from 50°F to 60°F. This means that soil temperatures are typically warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than the air. Geothermal heat pumps use the earth’s temperature to heat and cool buildings. How? During the winter, heat pumps take the heat from the ground into buildings. The process is and reversed during the summer.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective systems for heating and cooling buildings. All types of buildings, including homes, office buildings, schools, and hospitals, can use geothermal heat pumps.” In addition to heating and cooling buildings, geothermal heat pumps can provide hot water. Best of all, this is clean, renewable energy.

As demand for energy increases, geothermal energy will become an increasingly important energy source.  Right now, California has 43 operating geothermal generating plants, and plans to build more. A 2019 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report, GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet, says, “generating electricity through geothermal methods could increase 26-fold by 2050, providing 8.5 percent of the United States’ electricity, as well as direct heat.” And, in Boise, Idaho, geothermal energy is heating 92 of biggest buildings in the city.

Let’s all embrace geothermal energy: a clean, green, renewable energy that uses the earth to power the earth.

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/geothermal/geothermal-heat-pumps.php

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/geothermal/use-of-geothermal-energy.php

https://www.go-gba.org/resources/green-building-methods/geothermal-energy/

https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/electricity-generation

https://e360.yale.edu/features/can-geothermal-power-play-a-key-role-in-the-energy-transition

https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/downloads/geovision-harnessing-heat-beneath-our-feet

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.

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 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.

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).

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

With all the air conditioning needed in the summertime, why would a winter time freeze cause the electrical grid to “spike” out of control as we saw in Texas? Most people know that air conditioning loads in the middle of August usually drive the greatest demand on the grid. However, electric heaters, often used to handle peak heating loads, can double or triple the peak in the wintertime.

Energy Facts:

• 1 watt of electricity = 3.412 BTUs
• I kW of heat consumed by an electric heater = 3,412 BTUs of heat
• I kW of heat consumed by an electric Heat Pump = 17,060 BTUs of heat*
• It takes 20% the kW to do the same heating with a heat pump *(@5.0COP)

As it gets colder outside, Air Source Heat Pumps lose efficiency. Geothermal Heat Pumps continue high efficiency operation regardless of outdoor temperature.

Cold temperatures can reduce efficiency of heat pumps, simply because it's hard to extract heat from outside air as it gets colder. The efficiency of air source heat pumps drops as it gets colder outside, just as the gas mileage efficiency of a car drops when it’s climbing a mountain road. Geothermal heat pumps are not subject to drastic temperature fluctuations, because they're coupled to the temperature in the shallow earth, which ranges between about 45 and 75 degrees in the US.

As you look at the efficiencies of heat pumps at the ASHRAE building in Atlanta, you can see that air source heat pumps are closer to geothermal heat pumps efficiency in the summertime, but in the winter time, when heating is needed most, the air source heat pumps are using much more electricity that geothermal by comparison. Geothermal clearly reduces peak electrical demand on the grid, eliminating problems like Texas experienced this winter.

Wintertime electrical peak load management is a well-known challenge as Northeastern states make the transition to total building-stock electrification. New York is eliminating combustion heating of all types in buildings (as is stipulated in the New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). As they make that transition, competent studies have proven that Geothermal Heat Pumps must play an integral role in Beneficial Electrification in order to manage peak electrical load in the coming decades.

Ontario completed a study at the end of 2020 that gives a 30 year roadmap to managing electrical grid spikes through the implementation of geothermal heat pumps. In the image, we can see the savings in reduction of fossil fuels, the cost for implementation of air source heat pumps, the cost for implementation of geothermal heat pumps, and at the far right is that Ontario will save half-a-trillion dollars on electrical grid modifications by choosing the geothermal solution. The reason is simple. Winter time peak loads are leveled through the implementation of geothermal heat pumps.

When I started in the GHP industry in 1990, I was asked by a reporter what the future held for the industry. I said that while excavation and drilling are required now for the systems, the day would come when geothermal pipelines would be worked into the infrastructure of communities. This is the place at which we find ourselves today. 

Read more about geothermal grids in “New Contractor Opportunities with Geothermal Districts”

Read more Beneficial Electrification in “The Integral Role of Geothermal Heat Pumps in Beneficial Electrification”

Jay Egg is a geothermal consultant, speaker, 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.
©Egg Geo, LLC 2021