Just In! for February 24, 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.

Quebec Program Offers Substantial Geothermal Incentive – Hydro Quebec has developed a strong suite of thermal incentives. The geothermal incentive works out to approximately $30,000 for a typical 4-ton geothermal installation. Thanks to NY-GEO member John Manning for this tip. Program website here.

Clean Energy Group Files Support Memo on the Enhanced Geo Tax Credit Bill – New Yorkers for Clean Power has filed a memo endorsing S8106/A8588, a bill that would increase the cap on the the existing Residential Geothermal Energy System Credit from $5,000 to $10,000 and make it refundable for low-income households. Among their comments: “There are many reasons why the state should encourage and incentivize geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), but one of the most important ones relates to the future capacity of our electrical grid. GHPs are highly efficient for both heating and cooling, and their performance does not decrease with ambient temperature extremes because they exchange heat at very stable temperatures underground. GHPs reduce peak electricity demand and reduce the cost of power on the grid, as well as the marginal system cost of electricity, which, combined with reduced fuel consumption, reduces consumer energy payments.”- Link to memo here.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos to Step Down – Luke Parsnow & Bernadette Hogan – NY State of Politics, Spectrum News 1 “Seggos has led the DEC since October 2015, the longest tenure a commissioner has served in that department. ‘This has been an extremely tough decision because DEC is like a second home and I view you all like family,’ Seggos wrote in a letter to staff acquired by Spectrum News 1. ‘And to make it harder, we have really hit our stride lately, thanks to brilliant and dedicated staff, record funding, and a Governor who truly supports our agency, our people and the mission of protecting the environment. But after more than eight years in this role, this is the right decision for me and my family. It's time for a new chapter.’ "  Article link here.

Non- Pipeline Alternatives (NPA) – Meeting Energy Demand Responsibly – Magdalen Sullivan & Erin Murphy, Environmental Defense Fund – “Leading states around the U.S. have implemented new standards to incorporate NPA consideration and adoption into gas utility operations. Recent actions by Colorado, New York, California, and New Jersey are valuable examples to consider and follow.” This report includes numerous excellent examples and graphics focused on NY utilities. Blog on the report with a link to it.

Surviving the climate emergency requires millions of pictures like this.

Kingston Presser Articulates Need for NY HEAT Act - Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon - Hudson Valley 360 – “Activists and elected officials gathered in Kingston on Thursday (2/15) to urge lawmakers to include the NY HEAT Act in the state budget. The HEAT Act has 76 sponsors in the state Assembly, said Elizabeth Broad, New Yorkers for Clean Power campaign director. ‘We have thousands of New Yorker’s across the state that have been pushing for this bill because they know that we need to start investing in solutions… Our air would be cleaner, people would be healthier, our climate and our planet will have a chance, but we have to get off of fossil fuels as quickly as possible…Right now, if the fossil fuel companies and gas utilities have their way, they are going to spend $150 billion to put in all new gas pipes.’ " Article link here.

CA Bill Provides More Accurate Name for “Natural Gas” - Blanca Begert - E&E News Climate Wire – “A bill introduced Thursday (2/15) by California state Sen. Henry Stern would replace the term ‘natural gas’ with the term ‘methane’ throughout all of the state’s energy codes. S.B. 1237 would change references to natural gas in state laws to emphasize that it’s almost entirely made up of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.” Article link here.

California State Senator Henry Stern

What Is the Best Type of Ground Loop? – International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) – Do you want to understand what goes into a decision on what type of ground loop (AKA ground heat exchanger) to use for a given property? This article is a basic primer on some of the types of ground loops that can effectively provide and store heat for our buildings. Article link here.

Another Winning Argument for NY HEAT – Anshul Gupta – The Examiner News – This op ed does an excellent job explaining the importance of the NY HEAT Act for New York’s ratepayers. “This bill could provide relief from escalating home energy bills for millions of New Yorkers by directing the Public Service Commission to implement the state’s goal of limiting households’ energy burdens to 6 percent of earnings. It would also protect natural gas customers of all incomes from future price spirals.” Op Ed link here.

Anshul Gupta, Policy & Research Director, New Yorkers for Clean Power

EVs as Roaming Grid Batteries – Jeff St. John – Canary Media – A new vehicle-to-grid (V2G) standard could make it much easier for EVs to share data and power — and save money for drivers and utilities alike. EVs at level 3 (DC) fast chargers are more adaptable than those at level 1 and 2 (AC) chargers; however, due to the short duration of level 3 charging periods, AC charging may be the better long-term option. Many EV manufacturers are already marketing bidirectional charging for homes, and utilities and regulators are setting rules for powering the grid with EVs. Article link here.

Explosion in Virginia Killed Firefighter at Home with a Leaking Propane Tank – Alexandra Rodriguez – WJLA, Sterling, VA -“Following a catastrophic house explosion in Sterling, Virginia, on Friday night, officials identified the firefighter who died in the line of duty. Fire officials said 45-year-old Trevor Brown of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company was the firefighter who died. He has been affiliated with the department since 2016. Crews responded to a home around 7:40 p.m. Once on the scene, firefighters found a 500-gallon underground propane tank that was leaking.” Thanks to Andra Leimanis of the Alliance for a Green Economy for this tip.  Article link here.

Ford Reverses Course On Small EVs – Patrick George – InsideEVs – Ford discontinued its small car lines in 2018, focusing on trucks and SUVs. However, new Ford CEO Jim Farley recently stated: "It's non-negotiable that we're going to allocate capital to a new affordable electric vehicle ... and you have to make money in the first 12 months" To this end, Farley had previously announced that Ford is working on a new low-cost ground-up EV platform. The challenges facing Ford include competition from Chinese companies like BYD, and the fact that American automakers have yet to show they can make great, competitive, and affordable small cars. Article link here

Most Power Plants Built in 2024 Will Be Clean Energy – Julian Spector and Maria Virginia Olano – Canary Media – Renewables, batteries and nuclear will add up to 96% of all new power capacity constructed this year, per federal data.  Solar leads the way (58%), followed by battery storage (23%), and wind (13%).  The planned new gas plants represent the smallest addition for that fuel in 25 years.  However, fossil gas still generates 40% of US electricity, and coal produces about 20%. Article link here.



Contractor's Corner:

Map Shows Building Code A2L Refrigerant Updates by State – AHRI – “The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recently released a new interactive map of the United States, which lists state and local building codes and legislation passed to allow equipment using A2L refrigerants.”  Map link here.

Peer Influence on Solar Adoption – Lawrence Berkely Nations Laboratory (LBNL) - “If all your friends got solar panels, would you do it too? LBNL has released two reports that highlight the influence of both residential and non-residential solar installations on nearby residential solar adoption rates.” There will be a webinar on the reports March 6^th with registration accessible from the article link below. While geothermal systems are effectively invisible once installed, it would be interesting to explore the same question for our industry. Article link here.



Climate Updates:

Underwater Projects Film – The Hip Hop Caucus has produced this film on climate impacts in Virginia – “Norfolk, Virginia is sinking. The already insufficient sea wall ends where a public housing project, St. Paul’s, begins. St. Paul’s housing projects’ residents are Black people. Norfolk is home to the world’s largest naval base and there is currently no public plan to prevent it from going underwater.” Link to trailer and film schedule here

More Protection from Climate Extremes Needed in Army Corps Flood Projects - Samantha Maldonado – The City – “Federal investigators warn in a new report that the Army Corps of Engineers is not adequately preparing for the effects of climate change on flood-protection projects, including those planned for the five boroughs. The report released last week by the Government Accountability Office comes as the Corps — which plans and builds many federally funded flood-prone projects around the country — contemplates a controversial $52.6 billion coastal flood-protection plan that could remake waterfront areas of the city, from Upper Manhattan to Jamaica Bay.” Article link here. 

EVs Are On Track, Clean Power Is Lagging - Jeff St. John – Canary Media - “Based on headlines alone, you might expect that the U.S. is cruising toward its clean electricity goals while sputtering toward its EV goals.  But in a counterintuitive turn, a new report finds the opposite to be true.”  Article link here.

How Fire Island Was Saved – For Now – Bill Van Parys - Curbed – “After a winter of brutal storms, the Feds stepped in with a pile of very expensive sand. But it’s just a Band-Aid… But lately, the bad weather just hasn’t let up. The ‘unnamed storm event’ out of the Gulf on December 18 hammered the island with what was described as ‘the destructive power of a Category 1 hurricane.’ Buoys 50 miles out measured wave heights of 27 feet before breaking (not the waves but the buoys).” Article link here.

Chefs Fired Up About Climate-Fueled Supply Chain Woes – Kiley Price – Inside Climate News - "Climate change is taking a massive bite out of the global food supply chain, and local restaurants are bearing the brunt of the impact, according to a new report. On Wednesday, the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit known for its culinary awards, and the Global Food Institute at the George Washington University released an analysis investigating the impacts of climate change on independent restaurants, which are the fifth-largest employer in the U.S." Article link here.

Atmospheric Rivers Create Public Health Risks – Kiley Price – Inside Climate News – Research shows that the cycle of drought and flooding in California is driving an increase in cases of Valley fever and other diseases. Rain/flooding enables fungi to grow in the soil, and later drought conditions result in airborne spores. Flooding also causes the release of untreated sewage and toxic chemicals. The article also discusses efforts to curb groundwater overuse. Article link here.

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"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



This Week's Brief on Art:

Free Climate Art Workshop – Nicole Kelner “I'm hosting a free, virtual climate art workshop in 1 week! The theme will be about clean energy. We'll create art to visualize a beautiful future with abundant energy!” Details and registration here.

For More of Nicole Kelner’s Work See Her Website And Newsletter

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 28 – 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. ” 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. Link here.

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 13 – Geothermal RECs - 11:30 am–12:30 pm ET - IGSHPA Town Hall – “We will be hearing from David Sadik, Senior Vice President of Carbon Solutions Group who will be presenting What Are GRECs (Geothermal Renewable Energy Credits), And How Do They Drive Decarbonization?.”  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 14 – 4 Ways to Make Your HVAC Business More Efficient - 2:00 pm ET – ACHR News - “A tightly operated HVAC contracting business is one that has a high profit margin. Join us as we discuss the most effective ways to optimize operational productivity for your HVAC business. Finding, hiring, and keeping skilled employees is job number one. We will also discuss overall office efficiency and the improvement of internal procedures.”  Register here.

2024 03 20 – NY Renews Albany Rally for the Climate, Jobs & Justice Package, which includes NY HEAT - 10am-4pm ET – 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.

*2024 03 22 – How GSHPs Can Contribute More Than Wind and Solar - 11:30 am ET – Bill Eggertson, President of NetZeroPLUS Canada – IGSHPA Town Hall – Geothermal “Promoting itself simply as energy efficient obscures its value in the wind-solar future and gives no credit to a major source of energy production… In the US, thermal production from GSHP in the residential sector would be 2,000 billion kWh .” Register here.

*2024 03 27 – AEE/ASHREA Clean Energy Symposium – 8:00am - 6:00 pm ET, TEC-SMART, Malta, NY – “The Association of Energy Engineers – Capital Region (AEE-CR) and the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Northeast Chapter (ASHRAE-NE) in conjunction with Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) are proud to host a day long Symposium at the TEC-SMART facility which features a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system and clean energy laboratories to train students to enter the workforce.  Symposium attendees will hear a keynote address from US Representative Paul Tonko and participate in full day of workshops on Thermal Energy Networks, Camus Electrification, Heat Recovery Chillers, and other clean energy topics.  Engineering professionals can earn 3 PDH credits.” Learn more and 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 – Please add any job openings you may 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.