Just In! for June 22, 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.

Canadian Parliament Goes Geo – SenCA+ - “If you’ve been following the work on Parliament Hill, you’ve noticed the gaping pit that has opened up in front of Centre Block. Half again as big as a football field and 23 metres deep, it will eventually contain the three-storey, 32,000-square-metre Parliament Welcome Centre — where an anticipated three million annual visitors will begin their tours of the Parliament buildings and where the mechanical systems that heat and cool the complex will be housed. What you can’t see is what’s taking shape underneath: a geoexchange field one hectare in area honeycombed with 92 pipes extending 250 metres down into the bedrock, three times deeper than the height of Centre Block’s Peace Tower.  This network of geoexchange boreholes holds the key to efficiently heating and cooling the new Centre Block — an area of nearly 93,000 square metres.” Thanks to Bill Eggertson of the Conscious Builder for this tip. Link.

Colorado Utility’s Clean Heat Plan – Noah Rott – Sierra Club - Colorado is the first state to set an emission standard for gas distributors. The law requires gas distributors to cut emissions 4 percent by 2023 and 22 percent by 2030, compared to 2015 levels.. “The approved plan brings a budget of up to $440 million through 2027 primarily for building electrification and energy efficiency measures, which are expected to save up to 725,000 tons of emissions annually, far above the savings from Xcel's existing programs. The PUC is directing Xcel to double down on electrification initiatives like all-electric new construction, incentives to switch to heat pumps, stacking incentives from federal funding, and promoting investments for low-income and disproportionately-impacted customers.”   Thanks to Chloe Zilliac of Sunstone Strategies for this tip.  Link.

NYC High Rise Networks with Geothermal Neighbor to Cut Carbon – Alison F. Takemura - Canary Media – New York City’s “groundbreaking Local Law 97 takes effect this year, requiring buildings of more than 25,000 square feet to meet specific emissions limits, which become more stringent in 2030, or face hefty fines. One cutting-edge retrofit project is underway at the corner of Hudson and Charlton streets in lower Manhattan. The 17-story Art Deco office building, built in 1931, is ditching its fossil-gas boiler for uber-efficient electric heat pumps that are both heaters and air conditioners… 345 Hudson’s water-based network will be physically connected to 555 Greenwich Street, its next-door neighbor, which already has an energy-efficient ground-source heat-pump system… Heat redistribution within and among buildings is more common in Scandinavian countries…  But this project ‘is one of the first times that heat is being shared in this way … for New York and the United States’, said Jared Rodriguez, principal at Emergent Urban Concepts and an adviser to NYSERDA on the Empire Building Challenge.” Link.

Geothermal Advocacy, Climate Impact, and Safety Strategies - Episode 114 of The Driller Newscast – “This 35 minute episode covers:

• Risk assessment and risk mitigation: Preventing injuries and equipment damage
• Climate change impacts in 2024
• Florida cancels climate change policy
• The fate of the Inflation Reduction Act after November 2024
• The importance of state and national education, and an interview with Bill Nowak” (NY-GEO Board member – starts at minute 21) Link.

Brock Yorty, left, Host of the Driller Newscast

Irony? Albany, CA Moves on Building Electrification While Albany, NY Stalls – Ysabelle Kempe – Smart Cities Dive - Tiny Albany, California is taking a bold step forward, seeking to electrify heating for an entire city block at the same time the Albany, NY state government failed to move forward on building electrification. In its recently concluded legislative session, NY botched the adoption the NY HEAT Act, which would remove roadblocks to customer choice on electrifying buildings. In Albany, CA “ 'We really want to protect our low-income customers and renters from having to pay for the gas system simply because they can’t afford to switch to alternative [energy] sources,’ (according to) Claire Halbrook, director at Gridworks, an organization that facilitates grid decarbonization efforts… In addition to having equity benefits, targeted electrification may also be more cost-effective and technically efficient for utilities and building owners” Link.

The Future of Gas in Illinois – Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) – The BDC has put together a data-rich analysis of the relative cost of business as usual versus a planned transition off natural gas for Illinois ratepayers. “Illinois’ four largest ‘natural’ (methane) gas utilities—Ameren, Nicor, North Shore, and Peoples Gas—continue to spend more than $1 billion each year on gas system infrastructure, even as the state pledges to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050 and customers across the state struggle to pay already unaffordable gas bills… without regulatory intervention, unchecked spending on the gas system could triple the gas delivery charges on customer bills in the next decade.” Link.



NY-GEO Files Comments on Proposed NYSEG/RG&E Long Range Gas Plan – John Rath, Director of Operations, NY-GEO – The utilities have filed a proposed plan for consideration with the NY Public Service Commission. NY-GEO, the Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE) and others took part in a review of the plan and are now filing comments designed to strengthen the plan and bring it into compliance with NY’s Climate Law. From the NY-GEO filing: “..items that we believe should be mandated for inclusion in the LTP (Long Term Plan) are modeling that utilizes the federal tax credit for commercial customers using a 40% calculation for incentives, an estimation of the health benefits of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the reliability/resiliency and longer useful lives these systems provide compared to other systems and the positive impact on grid stability and cost.” See item #41 for 06-21-2024 here.

Crux White Paper on Clean Energy Tax Credits – Crux website – In addition to making tax credits, including those for geothermal projects, refundable for non-profits and municipalities, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allows the transfer of tax credits. If a taxpayer is undertaking a geothermal or other clean energy installation and doesn’t have enough tax liability to use the credit, they can be allowed to sell the credit to another taxpayer with adequate liability. Crux Climate is a company that describes itself as “the ecosystem for developers, tax credit buyers, and financial institutions to transact & manage transferable tax credits”. “Today (2024 06 12), we published a white paper detailing the due diligence process for tax credit transactions… Better-than-expected pricing suggests buyers have confidence in the new market: The average credit price was 92 to 94 cents per dollar of tax credit.” Link.

NY Climate Law (CLCPA) is 5 Years Old – Article Rates Implementation Progress  - Colin Kinniburgh – NY Focus – “The state is blowing past key milestones on the way to its big emissions targets… ‘Any one of these [missed deadlines] would be understandable, but what they add up to is a really questionable set of leadership decisions,’ said Stephan Edel, executive director of NY Renews, the coalition that led the charge for the CLCPA in 2019.” Link.

Should Cap & Invest Cover Power Plants? – Marie J. French – POLITICO – “Modeling by NYSERDA indicated that including power plants would slightly accelerate renewable deployment and wouldn’t move up fossil fuel plant closures, but that it would raise prices for electricity. The authority is also concerned that higher electric costs could discourage heat pump adoption… Leaving the electric sector out of a proposed cap-and-trade system, as New York officials have indicated they’re leaning toward, would increase harmful pollution from fossil fuel plants, according to … the latest report released today by the collaboration between Resources for the Future and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance." These opposing views are playing out as New York is considering how it will implement the cap and invest program called for by the State’s Climate Action Plan. Link.

CA Startup Focuses on “Solar-Led Electrification” – Jeff St. John – Canary Media – “Balto Energy, founded by a longtime energy modeling veteran, is the latest startup building software to try and predict the value of solar and home electrification… what if homeowners could predict the value they might eventually get from installing both rooftop solar and electrifying their homes? Using their own solar to power their new electric heat pumps, induction stoves, and electric vehicles could end up penciling out in ways that any one of those choices on its own would not.” Link.

Gas and Cancer-Causing Benzene Leaks - Michael Scholand – M₂S₂ Energy - Debunking the Hydrogen Hype - Why Europe should pursue electrification instead of Hydrogen for cooking and heating – “In Europe, the gas industry research body conducted measurements of the chemical composition of certain gas samples extracted from the North Sea and found benzene (a carcinogenic gas) concentrations of 0.35% by mass.  In the Netherlands, researchers modelled a house with adequate ventilation for gas cooking and determined it would experience concentrations of benzene 53% higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.” Page 2 at this link.

 With Override, Vermont Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2035 – Peter Hirschfeld – Vermont Public – “Democratic lawmakers overrode (Governor Phil) Scott’s veto of their renewable energy standard Monday (2024 06 17), setting in motion a multi-year plan that not only requires utilities to have 100% renewable portfolios by 2035, but also mandates that more of that power come from in-state generation projects… In his veto message, Scott said the renewable energy standard comes with a cost that many Vermonters cannot afford. How much the bill will cost has been hotly debated.” Thanks to HEATMAP AM for this tip. Link.

The Cost of Unbound Wildfire Liability - Julia Hamm – Latitude Media - “Wildfire liability has society-wide ripple effects. It of course puts the affordability of electricity at risk, but it also puts the energy transition itself at risk. If a utility is no longer credit-worthy because of wildfire issues, it will be unable to access the capital necessary for the transition from fossil fuels to carbon-free resources. The Hawaiian Electric Company is a real-life example of this situation. To reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2045, the utility needs to add one gigawatt of renewable energy by 2030. However, as a result of the Lahaina wildfires in August 2023, the utility is now struggling to sign power purchase agreements with renewables developers because of the fire’s negative impact on its credit rating.”  Thanks to Jim Kapsis of Ad Hoc Gist for this tip.  Link.



NY-GEO Conference Presentation:

For Details on the Upcoming October NY-GEO Conference in Brooklyn see 2024 10 21 in the Green Events Section Below or Go Directly to the NY-GEO Website

Geothermal Drilling Regulations: Perspectives on Potential Changes

Presented on April 9^th at NY-GEO 2024 in Albany, NY

NY-GEO with other industry and environmental stakeholder groups were able to get new legislation passed which eliminated sections of the regulations for drilling geothermal boreholes deeper than 500 feet. As you might imagine, regulations are complicated. Simply eliminating aspects of the law that regulated boreholes beyond 500 feet now requires a new set of regulations with the goal prevent negative environmental impacts and promote worker safety while making permitting deeper geothermal boreholes less burdensome than in the past. NY-GEO is working with the DEC to help create new regulations by the end of 2024. This panel includes key members of the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with oversight in this area, with other industry stakeholders. This session is a window into an ongoing, and very important process.

Moderator:

• Kevin Moravec / Barney Moravec, Inc.

Panel:

• Carrie Friello / NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation - Division of Minerals Management

• Beth Guidetti / NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation - Division of Water

• David Rosick / Rosick Well Drilling 

• Gino Di Rezze / GroundHeat

• David Hermantin / Brightcore Energy

No Presentation Deck for This Session

YouTube Recording

Climate Updates:

Federal HeatRisk Tool - Kiley Price – Inside Climate News – We covered this earlier but thought you’d like a reminder given this week’s weather. “NOAA’s National Weather Service and the CDC teamed up to create the new nationwide experimental heat forecasting system, known as HeatRisk. The interactive dashboard allows users to plug in their zip code to learn what the heat threats are for an upcoming week, denoted by different colors depending on the level of risk.” Link.

Flesh-Eating Infections Rising, Scientists Warn — Global Warming Is Making It Worse - Robert Hart - Forbes Staff – “There was an uptick in the number of infections with deadly flesh-eating bacteria along the East Coast of the United States last summer, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a rare problem that experts warn could become more common as warming global temperatures help the pathogen thrive and expand its range into new areas.” Link.

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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 Work of Art:

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 06 25 – Auction for Drilling & Other Industrial Equipment – 11:00 am ET – Motleys Industrial - “Are you looking to gear up? This auction features directional boring machines, trucks, trailers, and support equipment. Bid onsite or online on 140+ lots, including directional boring machines, trucks, trailers, support equipment, and more from Woodlawn Construction Inc. Don’t miss out on great inventory such as Ditch Witch directional boring machines as new as 2020 including JT30, JT60, and JT100 models! All items are located in Glen Allen, VA. See the auction items and more details at their website.”

*2024 06 25 - Navigating Clean Energy Tax Credit Transferability – 1:00 pm ET – “Join Heatmap Labs and Crux CEO, Alfred Johnson, as we discuss findings from Crux's new report on clean energy tax credit transferability risk mitigation. Based on insights from nearly three dozen experienced clean energy tax advisors that Crux surveyed.”  Register here.

*2024 06 26 – State by State Update on IRA Rollouts – 5:00 pm ET – “Energy Circle founder and CEO Peter Troast will give an update on everything we know about IRA rebates, including which states have applied for full funding (17 to date), which applications have been approved (3 to date), and most importantly, what marketing steps insulation, HVAC, and solar contractors can take today to make the most of this massive incentive opportunity.”  Register here.

*2024 06 27 – National Grid: Clean Heat Financing - 9:00 am ET – “Meet Verdant Capital! Learn more about National Grid's custom NYS Clean Heat financing provider and how they can grant simple and valuable options to you and your customers.”  Register here. 

*2024 06 27 & 28 – Codes Council Considers All-Electric New Buildings Implementation – On Friday June 28^th, at 10:00 am ET, NY’s Building Codes Council is expected to receive a draft of code language that will implement the All-Electric New Building Act (AEBA) that was passed by the NY Legislature last year and signed by the Governor. The AEBA is a key step in implementing NY’s Climate Action Plan and is a phased program to take fossil fuels out of new builds starting in 2026. Some Codes Council members have expressed ambivalence about the AEBA, and strong support for the measure during the public statement section of this meeting may be key. The 6/28 Web-Ex link will be available during the week of 6/24 in the Notice of Meeting which will be posted here. On June 27th, at 6:00 pm ET Michael Hernandez of Rewiring America has organized a preparation session for those interested in speaking at the Codes Council meeting. Join the RMI zoom session here. Passcode: 491454

*2024 06 28 – Geothermal Piping Materials Specifications – IGSHPA - 11:30 am ET, “Join us for our Dig Deeper Webinar with Lance MacNevin, Director of Engineering for the Building & Construction Division at the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). In this webinar Lance will be speaking on New PPI Model Specification for Piping Materials for Geothermal Systems.”  Register here.

*2024 07 24 to 26 – Accredited Installer Training with NY-GEO Member Jacquie Scherer – IGSHPA – “Get your Accredited Installer certification with one of IGSHPA’s Certified Trainers! This in person AI course will be held in Troy, NY at Energy Catalyst Technologies. Cost Varies depending on materials. Please note that class size is limited. Once the roster is full, registrants will be placed on waitlist.” Register here.

*2024 08 01 – Updates and Chance to Provide Feedback on the Statewide Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) Portfolio - 1:00 to 3:00 pm ET – “This webinar is the first of two stakeholder meetings in 2024. At the stakeholder webinar, the New York Utilities and NYSERDA will provide an update on progress made to date and seek input from stakeholders and market partners. Preliminary topics include:

·      Statewide LMI Portfolio Overview

·      1-4 Family Homes Programs Update

·      Affordable Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program (AMEEP) Update”

Register here.

*2024 10 09 & 10 – 4^th Annual LIUNA Builds Renewables Summit – Laborers International Union of North America – Turning Stone Casino – NY-GEO member NYS Laborers Organizing Fund (NYSLOF) is an organizer of this event. “Join industry leaders, developers, contractors, state officials, and community advocates to discuss how to build renewable energy responsibly across New York State.”  Register here.

2024 10 21 to 23 – NY-GEO 2024 – Fall Conference – Brooklyn – The New York Brooklyn Bridge Marriott will host a two-day conference with a day of local project site tours, over 40 educational sessions, and the NY-GEO Annual Dinner. This is NY-GEO's first conference Downstate and will emphasize content on how to address densely populated areas and large commercial buildings. As NY-GEO gears up for an extraordinary event, we invite you to register for two days of informative education sessions, and a showcase of geothermal energy solutions presented by our committed sponsors and exhibitors. To register for NYC and learn more about becoming a sponsor and or exhibitor click here.

Key Notes include:

Doreen Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA

Matthew Ketschke, President, Con Edison of New York

This event goes beyond the ordinary by offering attendees the unique opportunity to visit geothermal sites in NYC on October 21, providing firsthand experience and insights. Networking opportunities and access to top industry experts, this gathering is a must for professionals, policymakers, businesses, and building owners dedicated to decarbonizing New York State. Immerse yourself in the world of geothermal technology and join us in Brooklyn October 21-23. Learn more and register

Top Job 2024 Competition @ NY-GEO Conference in Brooklyn, NY

The Top Job Competition presented by GeoStar has been an integral part of the NY-GEO annual conference since its inception in 2015. Its objective is to highlight and recognize the incredible skill, talent, and creative imagination that exists in geothermal system designers and installers. We are thrilled to announce that in 2024 we will be recognizing and awarding three winners, one each, in the categories of:

• Residential
• Commercial
• Drilling

Why Apply? Top Jobs provides an opportunity for us to learn about the latest advancements in geothermal technology. How it is being implemented in a wide range of building types and applications and showcasing the benefits of geothermal systems, from their energy efficiency and cost-savings to their positive impact on the environment. Top Jobs projects allows the geothermal industry to communicate to those outside the industry including policymakers the variety of ways this technology can be applied, especially in situations where daunting challenges seem impossible to overcome and yet they are.

Please share your Top Jobs project that will inspires, motivates and explores the possibilities of geothermal energy. Learn more and submit.

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

NY-GEO 2024 Spring Conference - Albany Recordings Available

Access the conference recordings now to stay at the forefront of geothermal advance and drive sustainable change here.

Spread The Word!! The NY-GEO 2024 Spring Conference Pictures Are Out!!!

Can you find your picture? Click here to see all 618 photos!

2025 03 11 - 13 – 2025 IGSHPA Annual Conference – Breaking New Ground– From the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA): “Join us in Champaign, IL next March for our 2025 Annual Conference in collaboration with the Geothermal Alliance Of Illinois!  Don't miss out on early bird pricing, and as always, if you are a GAOI or IGSHPA member you get to register at a discount!” Conference website here.

JOBS !                                                                    

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.

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. All qualified individuals will be evaluated for each relevant position for which they apply. Check this page periodically to learn about new career opportunities.

Become a 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 a NY-GEO member and why your membership is important to advancing GHP, Click here.