Just In! for February 17, 2024

The weekly newsletter of the New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO)

Just In! is NY-GEO's weekly news feed for members. See more information on memberships here. If we send you a complimentary copy and you're not a member of NY-GEO, it means we value your role in the transition to renewable heating, but without a membership, please don't count on getting Just In! weekly. For past issues, check out the Just In! Archive available on the NY-GEO.org website.

NY-GEO 2024 CONFERENCES –

See details in the 2024 listings in the Events section below in green type.

HEAT Act: NY Could Rewrite Its Relationship with Fossil Gas – Dan McCarthy – Canary Media – McCarthy does a nice summary of the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition (HEAT) Act for a national audience in this 20-paragraph article. “New York’s future is fossil-gas-free, and it’s time for state policies to fully reflect that. That’s the upshot of testimony last week from climate advocates, who called on Governor Kathy Hochul (D) and the state legislature to pass the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition Act in this year’s budget.” Article link here.

Protecting LMI Customers Through the Electrification Transition - Mark Kresowik – ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) – “As states across the country prepare to launch home energy rebates for efficient products like heat pumps,…There are two critical elements to lowering energy burdens in the transition off fossil fuels: 1) low-income households have to be among the first to fully electrify and leave the gas system to avoid being stuck paying for the stranded assets of deteriorating pipelines, and 2) those households also have to be protected from the potential for higher costs in the short term in some states.” Blog link here.

Mark Kresowik

CA & CO Regulators Take Steps to Avoid Stranded Gas Assets – Jeff St. John – Canary Media – “California is arguably the furthest ahead of all states in curtailing the future of fossil gas. In September, the CPUC became the first regulator in the country to end the practice of allowing gas utilities to charge their entire customer base for the cost of extending gas lines to new buildings and neighborhoods… Also in September, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban the sale of new gas-fueled furnaces and water heaters in the state after 2030, creating the first zero-emissions building heating standard from a U.S. air regulator. And last year the California Energy Commission approved new building codes that will make all-electric buildings the default choice for most new construction in the state.” In more recent actions, both California and Colorado regulators are requiring closer scrutiny of larger gas infrastructure projects.  Article link here.

How YOU Can Help! – And Why Not ? - We’ve been covering numerous issues in Just In!. With an April 1^st deadline for adoption of the NY state budget, two of the most crucial initiatives for the geothermal industry are the New York Heat Act (S2016B/A4592B) and the bill to increase the geothermal tax credit and make it refundable (S8106/A8588). A supremely easy and painless 2-minute way to help is to call the decision makers and leave a message in favor of these bills. All Just In! readers can call Governor Hochul’s office at (518) 474-8390 and leave a message. NY readers can also click on these links to identify their Senator and Assembly member, click the contact button on their website and call their Albany office. The simple message: “I’m calling to urge Senator (or Assemblymember) ___ to speak up for the inclusion of the NY HEAT Act (S2016/A4592) and the Geothermal tax credit bill (S8106/A8588) in this year’s budget. Climate can’t wait. Later is too late.”

EDF & Google Mapping Methane Emissions from Space - Jeff St. John – Canary Media – “MethaneSat is one of the most ambitious attempts to measure the world’s massive methane problem. Its first satellite is scheduled to launch into orbit next month… By this time next year, a new satellite will be detecting how much methane is leaking from oil and gas wells, pumps, pipelines and storage tanks around the world — and companies, governments and nonprofit groups will be able to access all of its data via Google Maps.” Article link here.

DiNapoli Reduces NY Retirement Fund Investment in ExxonMobil, Falls Short of Divestment –– Inside Climate News – “New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced his office would sell actively managed pension fund investments (worth about $25 million) in the oil major because of its climate risk.  But the fund will continue to hold a far larger stake (worth about $500 million) in the company through ‘passive’ investments’...(such as) index funds that invest across the market”   Article link here.

Senators Accuse Utilities of Overcharging Customers for Certified Gas - Saul Elbein – The Hill – “A group of progressive senators in a Monday (2024 02 12) letter to federal regulators accused fossil fuel companies of deceiving the public with ostensibly ‘green’ gas — and overcharging customers for projects that won’t help the climate.” Senators Markey, Sanders, Warren, Whitehouse, Booker, Merkley and Blumenthal noted “utilities around the country have won approval to pay for the price premium commanded by certified gas by passing the costs on to consumers, according to an analysis from the Revolving Door Project cited in the letter…For example, two New York gas utilities (NYSEG & RG&E) received approval last year to pass $250,000 in certification costs on to ratepayers. A third, Con Edison, is passing on $800,000.”  Article link here.



Fossil Interests Disrupting U.S. Codes Process – Alexander Kauffman – HuffPost – “The International Code Council, the nonprofit organization responsible for writing widely adopted model building codes, broke its own rules to allow natural gas trade associations make the industry’s case for scrapping provisions for electric appliances and car chargers from the latest update to the codebook, HuffPost has learned.” Article link here.

Scandinavian Company Offers Subscription Based Air Source Heat Pumps in Europe - Scandinavian green energy startup Aira plans to offer a 10-year service guarantee and a monthly fee that includes installation and maintenance. The company announced launches in Germany, Italy and the UK in 2023. Thanks to ACHR News for this tip. Aira website here.

Share a Circuit to Avoid Costly Electrical Work – Brian Stewart – Electrify Now - “If you are wanting to install an EV charger or heat pump water heater but not excited about the additional wiring costs, you might be able to use a smart splitter or circuit sharing device. These ingenious products allow two devices to share a 240V circuit, only allowing one to draw current at a time. This enables you to add a device to an existing 240V circuit rather than having to pay for another circuit to be installed or a costly electrical panel upgrade”. Article link here.

Some Commercial Interests Supporting Biden’s Pause on LNG Export Facilities - Naveena Sadasizam, Zoya Teirstein, & Jake Bittle – Grist – While “The decision reportedly came about after senior administration officials, including White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi, learned that young activists on TikTok were drawing millions of views elevating LNG as a major climate issue.…a broader, less-climate-concerned coalition, representing thousands of manufacturers, chemical companies, and consumer advocates, has also been quietly pushing for the pause — and stands to benefit if Biden curbs LNG exports. The more American natural gas that’s available to be shipped overseas, they argue, the more unpredictable the price of the fuel will be stateside.”  Article link here.

Did Solar Power the Super Bowl? – KileyPrice -Inside Climate News - “The entire 1.8-million-square foot stadium is climate-controlled and boasts more than 2,200 screens for fans who don’t have a front-row seat to the action. Overall, Super Bowl Sunday festivities were projected to use up around 28 megawatt-hours of electricity, which is equivalent to the power required for about 46,000 households to watch the game at home, according to environmental consulting firm NZero. However, this year, all of the electricity powering Allegiant Stadium was supplied by renewable energy, says the firm, which the Las Vegas Raiders hired to monitor the structure’s emissions. More specifically, the Raiders say the energy largely came from their contract partnership with NV Energy, which runs a 621,000-panel solar farm in the desert outside of Las Vegas. “ Article link here.



Contractor's Corner:

Funding for Intern Wages - "NYSERDA has revised PON 4000: the New York State Clean Energy Internship Program, which provides funding to eligible clean energy businesses, organizations, and local municipalities to hire interns to perform meaningful work in the clean energy sector. Both clean energy businesses and intern candidates can apply to participate in the program. Accepted businesses will select, interview, and hire interns, and NYSERDA provides reimbursement on a percentage of the interns’ wages." Program notice here.

DOE Announces 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition Winners – Clean Technica – The “annual challenge… offers college students experience in the renewable energy industry and the chance to win cash prizes for developing real-world geothermal solutions. Team GeoTribe from the University of Oklahoma won first place in the Technical Track and Aurora Geothermal Solutions from Columbia University and Princeton University took first in the Policy Track for their innovative proposals for geothermal systems in communities across the country. Each first-place team will receive a $10,000 cash prize plus funding to host a community event where they will present their projects and discuss geothermal." Thanks to NY-GEO member Paul Coons for this tip. Article link here.



Climate Updates:

Atlantic Current Disruption – How Close Are We to the Tipping Point? - Bob Berwyn – Inside Climate News – “Disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current could freeze Europe, scorch the tropics and increase sea level rise in the North Atlantic. The tipping point may be closer than predicted in the IPCC’s latest assessment.” Article link here.

Direct Climate Defiance Growing – Keerti Gopal - Inside Climate News – “In less than a year, Climate Defiance has drawn the admiration of activists and the ire of government leaders and CEOs. It may be a sign of an appetite among activists for more peaceful but confrontational direct action."  Article link here.

Later is Too Late ! – Grist – “…a new survey, the largest of its kind, shows that people around the world want their governments to take action. Some 78 percent of those polled agree that it’s essential to do ‘whatever it takes’ to limit the effects of climate change… The research also gauged what messages resonated with people the most. The best one? ‘Later is too late.’ That fits with the reason people want action: to protect the planet for the next generation. What the report called ‘generational messaging’ was 12 times more effective than other options, such as increasing job opportunities or reducing social inequality. The thing that moves people the most is putting right in front of them the things that they care about and showing them that those things are at risk…It was the leading message in every segment in every country and every age group and every political persuasion.” Article link here.

Climate Impact on Suozzi Victory – Below is a table from a survey conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP) in February of 2024 for the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Victory Fund on voter attitudes in the NY-03 Special Election held last week, which candidate Tom Suozzi won handily.  Article link here.

Warming Could Drive Locust Outbreaks - Bob Berwyn – Inside Climate News - “As global warming accelerates, scientists say it’s more important than ever to understand how climate extremes such as heatwaves, droughts and extreme rains affect locust outbreaks that can destroy billions of dollars worth of crops within a few weeks when the insects swarm. A study published today in Science Advances suggests that, if global warming isn’t curbed, west India and west central Asia could become locust hotspots in the decades ahead, raising new challenges for control efforts, and further threatening food security and livelihoods in already vulnerable regions.” Article link here. 

"We know from a recent study that every tenth of a degree in temperature rise that we prevent keeps 140 million of our brothers and sisters in habitable zones on this planet. And nothing has changed my basic conviction about the key: we need to keep building huge movements to finally break the political power of the fossil fuel industry and force the emergency conversion to clean energy." —Bill McKibben



You’ve Got To Be Kidding:

Looking for a social media critique of the fossil fuel industry with a little zip to it? Yellow Dot Studios has numerous videos and pics, most with a sharp satiric edge. Included is a series of videos specific to New York titled Shut the Fossils Up (STFU). Here’s a sample…

Frequent Sources for Just In! briefs:

Green Energy Times

City & State First Read

POLITICO Weekly NY & NJ Energy email)

Canary Media

National Building Electrification Network & Sunstone Strategies



Just in! thanks NY-GEO board member John Ciovacco of Aztech Geothermal for his frequent proofreading contributions to this publication and Paul Maliszewski for his work on the briefs.

EVENTS:

*Indicates a New Listing or Updated Information

*2024 02 20 – Green Drinks in Albany Focuses on Geothermal – 5:30-7:30 pm ET – Featured speaker is Matthew Desmarais , founder of Energy Catalyst. “Find out how ground source heat pumps work and why they are a good choice for the environment. Energy Catalyst’s groundbreaking ground source heat pump can be adapted to existing hot water baseboard systems. This is the only NYS locally manufactured heat pump. Training opportunities will also be discussed. Live event at the Skinny Pancake on North Pearl Street. All welcome !"  Facebook link here.

*Correction 2024 02 28 (we had listed the date for this event as 02 24 last week) – HVAC – What Homeowners Are Thinking Part 1 – ACHR -2:00-3:00 pm ET – “The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (ACHR) News commissioned a study to discover what homeowners were thinking when it came to purchasing an HVAC system. The goal was to provide contractors with the knowledge to close more sales. In part 1 of this series, we will cover home owners’ thoughts regarding online views, visit fees, pricing transparency, expected lead times and payment terms.” NY-GEO member ClimateMaster is one of the sponsors. Register here.

2024 02 29 – HVAC – What Homeowners Are Thinking Part 2 – ACHR -2:00-3:00 pm ET – “The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (ACHR) News commissioned a study to discover what homeowners were thinking when it came to purchasing an HVAC system. The goal was to provide contractors with the knowledge to close more sales. In part 1 of this series, we will cover home owners’ thoughts regarding online views, visit fees, pricing transparency, expected lead times and payment terms.” NY-GEO member Joe Parsons of ClimateMaster is one of six speakers on the panel. Register here.

*2024 03 01 and 02 – Union Careers in Clean Energy – Cornell University Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School – At the Desmond Hotel in Albany. “Please join the Cornell ILR Climate Jobs Institute on March 1st and 2nd for a statewide conference, Generating Equity: Pathways to Union Careers in Clean Energy. The conference will be a generative convening with labor unions and allies, environmental justice groups, community advocates, workforce development organizations, and government officials to share best practices, build relationships, and learn from one another how we chart the way to a more diverse, equitable and unionized clean energy workforce.” Register and info here.

2024 03 06 – The Future of Indoor Air – Policy Solutions for Clean and Healthy Buildings – 11:00 am ET – RMI Carbon Free Buildings - “Despite being one of the top five major health risks in the US, indoor air pollution is currently overlooked and unregulated. Burning fossil fuels in buildings releases additional health-harming pollutants that exacerbate climate change. A recent report from RMI summarizes how indoor air quality guidelines are a critical first step to understand indoor air pollutants, and how they can inform additional policy measures to mitigate risk.” 5 panelists will explore policy solutions for clean and healthy buildings. Register here

2024 03 06 – NY Thermal Energy Networks Summit – 8:30 am to 12:30 pm ET – “The Building Decarbonization Coalition, NYS Pipe Trades Association and City & State NY are proud to present The NY Thermal Energy Networks (TENS) Summit:  Scale up! Decarbonizing NY’s Neighborhoods at the Albany Capital Center…New York has positioned itself to be a national leader in using TENs with utility projects for several of these neighborhood-scale decarbonization infrastructure projects proposed for development across the state.” Register here for this free in-person (non virtual) event.



2024 03 07 - Renewable Heat Now March Power Hour – 7:00-8:00 pm ET – Renewable Heat Now (RHN) is organizing intensively for NY’s transition to clean, fossil-fuel free heating. Join RHN for its monthly Power Hour, a strategy meeting designed to inspire and inform. “All are welcome to attend, and if you’re new to the movement for renewable heat, these meetings are a great place to learn and get plugged in!” Register here. 

*2024 03 08 – NYSERDA Clean Green Schools Program - 3:00-4:00 pm ET – NY-GEO Let’s Talk Series - A presentation/update from Hanna Morgan at NYSERDA to discuss the Clean Green Schools program including funding for 2 tracks devoted to planning and installation of energy initiatives which will help school districts reduce energy use and save money. To listen to the presentation and be part of the discussion, click here and use the password GEO.

2024 03 12 to 14 - Thermal Energy Networks Symposium in Rochester, MN – Geothermal Rising - “It is no small feat to tear up streets and install thermal pipelines that share energy between buildings; however, we now have the tools, the talent, the trades, and the engineering to do this at a time when geothermal solutions are more efficient and affordable than ever. All that is needed is for you to begin your journey by registering for the Thermal Energy Networks Symposium and be prepared to start your community on the path to energy independence.” Registration fees from $575 to $775.  Register here.

2024 03 13 - Renewable Heat Now’s Rally & Lobby Day for the NY HEAT Act in Albany – 11 am to 4 pm ET – “Join Renewable Heat Now and multiple allied groups in calling on Governor Hochul and the Legislature to put the NY HEAT Act in the budget!" Click here for more.

*2024 03 13 - Evaluating Geothermal Heat Pumps with REopt - 11:30 am–1:00 pm ET - .2 CEUs – “This training program is designed to educate agencies on geothermal heat pumps (GHP) and equip them with the skills to model and evaluate these systems for their specific site(s) using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) REopt tool. The REopt tool, available for free, offers a user-friendly web interface and open-source code, enabling users to assess the techno-economic feasibility of distributed energy resources, including solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, battery storage, geothermal heat pumps, combined heat and power, and thermal energy storage. Register here.

2024 03 14 – Clean Heat Program Stakeholders Meeting – 9:00-10:00 am ET - The NYS Clean Heat Utility Joint Management Committee (JMC) will host the next quarterly meeting of the Working Group Series for Participating Contractors and Industry Partners. This series is billed as an ongoing platform for contractors and industry partners affiliated with NYS Clean Heat to discuss program improvements and address questions related to the program. Registration not available yet.

2024 03 20 – NY Renews Albany Rally for the Climate, Jobs & Justice Package, which includes NY HEAT - 10am-4pm – New York State Capitol, 89 Washington Ave, Albany NY 12234 - From NY Renews, a group that was key to passing New York’s Climate Law – “we’ll be calling on Governor Hochul and the state legislature to pass key climate legislation along with the People’s Climate Justice Budget to invest in critical climate and environmental justice projects across the state. Together we can kickstart New York’s clean energy transition, lower energy bills for families, and create good, union jobs along the way..”  Register here.

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NY-GEO 2024 Conferences

Yes, That’s Plural

We are excited to share there will be two conference events in 2024 with content focused on both the diverse residential and commercial markets in New York State. The programs will include dynamic keynote speakers and panels, educational tracks that are relevant and applicable, and an opportunity to network with exhibitors showcasing products and services that will support and advance your knowledge.

2024 04 08 and 09 – NY-GEO 2024 - Albany – Once again hosted at the Albany Marriott, we bring together the best of the best in the Geothermal Heat Pump Industry. We will open with an exhibitor mixer on April 8 followed by a full day of programming on the 9th with focused attention on Upstate. NY-GEO 2023 maxed out with attendees and exhibitors, so register today if you don’t want to miss out. Check out the Draft Schedule for the Albany conference here.

·      To register for Albany and learn more about becoming a sponsor and or exhibitor click here.

·      Book your stay at the Albany Marriott by clicking here.

2024 10 21 to 23 – NY-GEO 2024 – New York City – The New York Brooklyn Bridge Marriott will host a two-day conference with sessions and tracks, the NY-GEO Annual Dinner, and a day of local project site tours. This is NY-GEO's first conference Downstate and will emphasize content on how to address densely populated areas and large commercial buildings.

·      To register for NYC and learn more about becoming a sponsor and or exhibitor click here.

·      Book your stay at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott by clicking here.

NY-GEO Members can attend the conferences at a discounted rate, so now is a good time to renew your membership through 2024.

NY-GEO members: to receive the discounted member rates, employees of your organization must be populated in the member database. Reach out to NY-GEO Executive Director Christine Hoffer at christine@ny-geo.org for assistance.

Not a Member? Click here to Join! 

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2024 05 28 to 30 – IGSHPA Research Conference - The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) is pleased to announce that the next IGSHPA Research Conference will be held at Polytechnique Montréal. This is the fourth in a series of research conferences held in Denver (2017), Stockholm (2018), and Las Vegas (2022).  Conference website here

JOBS !                                                                    * = new listing

We NEED Your NY-GEO Member Job Postings – We only have 6 jobs posted right now so please add any openings members have to our NY-GEO Job Listings to gain visibility and help recruit new employees to your organization. This feature is available to all NY-GEO members, simply log into your account, select the NY-GEO Job Listings in the left toolbar, select Add in the upper right, and complete the form. If you need assistance, let us know at christine@ny-geo.org.

New Yorkers for Clean Power is proud to lead the charge for green jobs through Clean Energy Careers NY, a collaborative initiative to create equitable clean energy careers pathways in New York to help achieve the state’s climate and clean energy goals…”We're excited to launch the Clean Energy Careers New York Newsletter! The newsletter is chock-full of Clean Energy Careers NY resources, event information, job opportunities, and more. If you're a job seeker, a trainer, an employer, or a clean energy advocate, this newsletter is for you! (listed 2023 07 22) Read the newsletter here.

The Building Performance Contractors Association (BPCA) Career Center is here. 

Ongoing – NYSERDA is hiring! The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has ongoing recruitment opportunities. Join our email list or check this page periodically to learn about new career opportunities. All qualified individuals will be evaluated for each relevant position for which they apply. Opportunities include:

Become an NY-GEO Member

NY GEO is the driving force in the mass adoption of Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pumps for residential, commercial, and utility-scale heating and cooling in New York State. NY-GEO's mission is to grow the geothermal heat pump industry and develop its workforce while educating policymakers building/property developers and residents about the benefits of geothermal heat pumps.

We are a member-funded, non-profit trade organization and we depend on YOUR SUPPORT to expand the use of clean, renewable, geothermal heating and cooling systems for the benefit

of all.

Learn more about the benefits of becoming an NY-GEO member and why your membership is important to advancing GHP, Click here.