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Just In! for February 22, 2025
The weekly newsletter of the New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO)
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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. | |
Ashland, OR Imposes a Climate Fee on New Natural Gas Hookups – “A youth climate advocacy group in Ashland, Oregon, is celebrating their victory in pushing the city to enact a fee to discourage the installation of natural gas appliances in new homes. The Ashland City Council took its final vote on Tuesday night on a new ordinance related to natural gas usage in the city. ‘If you are choosing to build a new home and you are determined to have a gas appliance, you would have to pay a fee on that gas appliance,’ Ashland High School senior Piper Banks said. ‘It’s hoping to push Ashland to make sure we’re meeting our climate goals and addressing the climate crisis within Ashland.’ ‘When you’re in a hole, quit digging,’ Ashland resident Caleb Heeringa said. ‘And the pollution fee is a really important first step to incentivize builders to build with the most efficient and cleanest options available for powering buildings.’... Essentially, a new homeowner who chooses to install natural gas will have to pay for the climate costs associated with that up front.” Link. | |
A section of the City of Ashland Ordinance on how the Carbon Pollution Impact Fee is calculated.
Sit Down Before Opening Your Utility Bill – Email from Energy Consultant and NY-GEO member Gerri Wiley, Facilitator, Residents Allied for the Future of Tioga (RAFT) In this message Wiley explains that recent NYSEG rate increases were masked by weather and timing, but as those conditions recede, the impacts of 2 increases are being felt at the same time. “Through social media posts and conversations in the real world, I’m hearing many people’s shock when viewing their recent utility bills... No matter what fuel you heat with, November 2023’s delivery rate increases for gas and electric (and other fuels) were barely noticed because the average temperatures in December 2023 and January 2024 were 7% higher than normal. Then came the May 2024 delivery rate increases, which wouldn’t be noticeable because we were in the shoulder season with low energy needs. So, the first time both of these increases would cause shock and awe is this winter’s heating season. Adding single digit weather to this formula makes the price increase quite noticeable. These rate hikes were higher for electricity than for gas. The increasing price of gas supply may even this out.” gerriwiley@yahoo.com
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A Third Generation Driller Transitions from Oil and Gas to Geothermal - Phil McKenna- Inside Climate News – “To hear more about the drilling industry and its potential for future growth, Inside Climate News spoke to Brock Yordy, a drilling expert who worked for the oil and gas industry and the U.S. military and now focuses on geothermal. Yordy is also a writer and podcaster for drilling industry trade news outlets and recently co-founded the Geothermal Drillers Association.” Interview Link.
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Company Seeks Partners to Revolutionize Air Dome Sustainability with Geo Exchange Heat Pumps – Herox Air Domes builds sports and commercial dome structures. They are “on a mission to eliminate gas dependency and provide our clients with a sustainable, energy-efficient heating solution.” They seek innovative designers, and installers of geo exchange heat pump systems to collaborate on integrating cutting-edge technology into their air dome systems. See a 2 minute vision video for a school sports complex at this link. Dan Lazar from Herox invites exploratory conversations at heroxairdomes.com or 702-919-7179.
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Handout on How NY HEAT Will Enable Cost-Effective System Electrification Building Decarbonization Coalition – This 2-page flier explains “how NY HEAT will enable utilities to re-direct costs from expensive, aging gas lines and instead invest in neighborhood-scale decarbonization.” Link.
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Legislators Discuss the NY HEAT Act – Elise Klein – New York Now – “There's renewed energy around the New York Heat Act as the bill gets a new sponsor in the lower chamber: Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon as leaders turned their focus to affordability this year.” Listen to several Legislators talk about the bill and its prospects from the 14-minute mark at this link.
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Regulators Clamp Down on Peoples Gas Pipeline Replacement Program – WBEZ Chicago – “Regulators on Thursday pulled the reins on Peoples Gas and its maligned pipeline replacement program, subjecting the Chicago utility to yearly reviews of the massive project that has run a decade behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget… ‘As a result of this order, we should get a program that costs less and leads to less aggressive rate hikes while actually making us safer,’ said Abe Scarr, director of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group… The commission, whose five members were all appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker, ordered Peoples Gas to halt the work in late 2023 for a state review of the spending. Pritzker wants to wean the state off fossil fuels in favor of renewable sources by 2050 under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act he signed in 2021 — but the state has made only limited progress.” Link.
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RMI Article on Electrified Heating Rates - Ryan Shea, Joe Dammel, Francie Fink – RMI - “The new article takes a closer look at the rates already in place around the country that are designed to help customers with electric heating. A few key findings:
· There are 88 utilities that offer electrified heating rates today, with 12 offering electric heat pump (HP) rates
· These rates lower HP customer bills by 10% on average, but the savings vary widely, from 0%-50%
· Only 1 in 5 residential customers have access to these rates today, with CO and MA making recent progress.” Link.
It does not appear this study takes into account Con Edison’s Select Pricing Rate which has been saving most geothermal customers a substantial amount and comes with a price guarantee.
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Geo in the Midwest – Illinois Geothermal Coalition - “To achieve the zero-carbon emission goals set forth by state and local governments in the U.S. Midwest that will move society away from a reliance on fossil fuels, we propose geothermal energy and geoexchange technologies as solutions that are renewable, have low carbon emissions, are relatively inexpensive considering the system life cycles, and are reliable and safe. Here we present a comprehensive review of geothermal applications for different commercial and industrial sectors…policy changes are needed in Illinois to elevate geothermal energy on par with solar and wind energy so that it benefits all stakeholders, from customers to workers and utilities.” Link.
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Figure 8.2. from the report: Installed GHP capacities in 2050 by county under the business-as-usual (top) and breakthrough (bottom) scenarios. Figure reproduced courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy. Colors represent thermal kW installed per square kilometer.
The Greenhouse Gas Footprint of US Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Exports – Robert W. Howarth - Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University – Author Bill McKibben calls Professor Howarth “the planetary authority on methane”. Howarth's paper notes, “Before 2016, the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States was banned… Today the United States is the largest exporter of LNG… In all of the scenarios considered, across all types of tankers used to transport LNG, methane emissions exceed emissions of carbon dioxide from the final combustion of LNG… While some proponents of LNG have argued it has a climate benefit by replacing coal, the analysis presented here disproves this…Overall, the greenhouse gas footprint for LNG as a fuel source is 33% greater than that for coal.” Link.
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The bar chart above shows "full lifecycle greenhouse gas footprint for LNG for both short and long cruises compared with coal used domestically, diesel oil used domestically, natural gas used domestically, and electric-power ground-source heat pump powered by the average European electric grid. The LNG values are the means for the three types of tankers that burn LNG for fuel. Methane emissions are converted to carbon-dioxide equivalents using GWP20. Note that values are expressed per unit of heat energy for each fuel for delivery to an electric generation plant. This does not include methane emissions from urban distribution systems that deliver to buildings for heat. Emissions for LNG and natural gas used domestically would both increase substantially for this use of gas. See text. GWP20, 20-year global warming potential; LNG, liquefied natural gas."
Connecticut Considers Incentives to Spur Networked Geothermal Projects – “Connecticut could become the latest state to pursue networked geothermal systems as a way of cutting greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health, and reducing energy cost burdens for residents. State lawmakers are considering a bill, HB 6929, that would create a grant and loan program to support development of geothermal networks, which tap into energy stored in the earth to deliver heating and cooling to multiple buildings in one neighborhood.” Thanks to NY-GEO member Paul Coons for this tip. Link.
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21 States Sue New York Over Climate Change Law – Laura Lorek - ALM Law.com – “Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and a coalition of 21 attorneys general have filed a federal lawsuit challenging New York's new law that would force fossil-fuel companies to pay billions for emitting greenhouse gas…According to the lawsuit, the New York law titled the Climate Change Superfund Act would retroactively fine coal, natural gas and oil producers $75 billion for emissions. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed it into law on Dec. 26, 2024, with funds due in 2026. ‘This liability could be devastating to traditional energy producers. Indeed, the ruinous liability that the Act promises—especially when paired with similar efforts that might arise in other states—could force coal, oil, and natural gas producers to shutter altogether,’ according to the lawsuit.” Editorial comment - Yes, the damage fossil fuel companies cause through climate pollution is very expensive, and if the public won’t be forced to pay to repair the damage, fossil fuel companies might no longer be profitable. Link.
China's Clean Energy Investments Nearing Scale of Global Fossil Investments – Reuters – “China invested 6.8 trillion yuan ($940 billion) in clean energy in 2024, approaching the $1.12 trillion in global investment in fossil fuels, according to a new analysis for U.K.-based research organisation Carbon Brief. That was despite growth in China's clean energy investments slowing to 7% from 40% in 2023 amid overcapacity. More than half of that investment came from China's burgeoning electric vehicle, battery and solar industries.” Thanks to author Bill McKibben for this tip. Link.
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Aldi Australia Launches Solar and Battery Offer at a “Cracking Price” – Amalyah Hart – One Step Off the Grid – “Aldi is shaking up the home solar market with a new, Melbourne-only offering. The multi-national, ultra-cheap retailer is now marketing a solar and battery package that includes 6kW of solar panels, a 5kW hybrid inverter and a 5.1kWh lithium ion phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, all for the princely sum of $7,999 – inclusive of installation.” Link.
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NY-GEO Conference Highlights
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Thermal Energy Infrastructure as Electric Capacity
**Presented on October 22, 2024, at NY-GEO 2024 in Brooklyn, NY**
New York's Climate Law says that in 30 years the vast majority of NYS’s buildings will need to convert to electrically driven space heating and hot water. Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are known for their ultra-high efficiencies for heating and cooling, and unparalleled environmental benefits. GSHPs also rank near the top of a variety of important metrics important to electric utilities, such as peak shaving, grid utilization, distributed energy resource (DER), energy intensity and carbon emission avoidance. There’s emphasis on the development of electric battery storage solutions to address a number of these metrics. We need to begin to appreciate that a closed-loop geothermal borehole is perhaps the strongest DER candidate, bringing 75% of its energy from a renewable resource, requiring practically no maintenance and having a useful life beyond 100 years.
Speakers:
· Jens Ponikau / Buffalo Geothermal & NY-GEO Board
· Jared Rodriguez / Emergent Urban Concepts
Session YouTube Recording
Presentation Deck
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All Pics from NY-GEO 2024 Brooklyn Are Posted !!! – Conference Co-Chair John Ciovacco has edited and posted 540 Day Two pictures of the October 21-23 NY-GEO Conference in Brooklyn. They now join the 730 pictures he had earlier posted from Day One. Check out the action and perhaps see your pic here. | |
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Early Bird Pricing is Open for NY-GEO 2025 in Beautiful Saratoga Springs from April 22nd- 24th - NY-GEO hosted two conferences in 2024 with a combined attendance of over 1,000 people. In 2025 we will hold just one conference (i.e. April 2025 in Saratoga) . NY-GEO has proven to be the must-attend geothermal conference to connect, share insights and explore the latest advances in the GSHP industry. What to expect at NY-GEO 2025:
- Pre-Conference Site Tours and Geothermal Drilling Demonstrations
- Two Days of Education with Multiple Tracks
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NEW Larger Exhibitor Space
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Annual Dinner and Top Job Awards
Mark your calendars and be part of the geothermal conversation. Your voice, expertise and participation are what makes NY-GEO conferences so valuable! Learn More and Register for NY-GEO 2025.
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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 | |
Climate Tipping Points Study Given £81m Kickstart – Damian Carrington – The Guardian - “An ambitious attempt to develop an early warning system for climate tipping points will combine fleets of drones, cosmic ray detection and the patterns of plankton blooms with artificial intelligence and the most detailed computer models to date. The UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), which backs high-risk, high-reward projects, has awarded £81m to 27 teams. The quest is to find signals that forewarn of the greatest climate catastrophes the climate crisis could trigger.” Link.
| Love Song to the Earth – from Bill McKibben’s “The Crucial Years” blog. “Antonique Smith released her latest single, a new and stripped-down version of “Love Song to the Earth,” with its composer Toby Gad playing behind her. The song came out in anthemic version in 2015, with Paul McCartney, Angelique Kidjo, Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow and others joining in, ‘We Are the World’ style. That was just before Paris, part of the successful effort of a climate movement at its apex to finally win a global climate accord; now, in this darker moment, it’s a perfect time for a reboot, and Smith is the perfect choice.” | |
Frequent Sources for Just In! briefs:
City & State First Read
POLITICO (Weekly NY & NJ Energy email)
Canary Media
Sunstone Strategies & the National Building Electrification Network
HEATMAP
Author Bill McKibben
Renewable Energy World
Inside Climate News
Building Decarbonization Coalition
Renewable Heat Now
NY State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Just in! is produced each week by NY-GEO board member Bill Nowak. Thanks to fellow NY-GEO board member John Ciovacco of Aztech Geothermal for his weekly proofreading contributions to this publication and Paul Maliszewski for his work on the briefs. We welcome your feedback and suggestions sent to billnowa@gmail.com.
EVENTS:
*Indicates a New Listing ** Indicates Updated Information
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*2025 02 26– NY-GEO Members Invited to Cap & Invest Press Conference – 11 am ET – NY-GEO Executive Director Christine Hoffer will be one of the speakers urging Governor Hochul to move forward on implementing NY’s Cap & Invest program (NYCI). NY-GEO members are invited to attend this event and support the launch of the New Yorkers for Clean Air Coalition, which is dedicated to advocating for NYCI. NYCI is a crucial program for balancing the cost of clean electricity and polluting gas. It will also provide necessary funding for transitioning New Yorkers off fossil fuel use. The event will take place on the 4th floor of the NY State Capitol. If attending, leave 20 minutes for getting through security at the Capitol.
*2025 02 27 – Help Educate the Residential Advisory Marketing Group (RMAG) on Geo – 11:00 am ET - NYSERDA developed the RMAG to bring together residential market actors and stakeholders to envision the next generation of residential energy efficiency and clean energy solutions. The RMAG helps guide development of offerings that spur market growth, deliver customer value, and enable achievement of New York State’s energy policy goals. At this session, NY-GEO board members Jens Ponikau and Kevin Moravec will discuss the economic value of geo and what types of incentivization will work best. NY-GEO members are encouraged to attend and be part of the discussion. Register here.
2025 02 27 – National Grid LTP Technical Conference - Thermal Energy Network/District Geothermal - 2:00 – 4:00 pm ET - As part of its Long Term Planning (LTP) process, National Grid will be hosting a session on Thermal Energy Network/District Geothermal. Contact NY-GEO Director of Operations John Rath for background at jrfree49@yahoo.com. Click here to attend.
2025 02 28 - NYS Codes Council – 10:00 am ET with public comment period at the end – The Council is currently involved with establishing the next Uniform Code and Energy Code, which are to take effect in 2026. New York’s All-Electric New Building Act is to be enacted as part of this process. The meeting of the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council on Friday December 06, 2024 was rescheduled to January 16th via videoconference call (WebEx) at the following locations:
· 99 Washington Ave., Albany, in Conference Rooms 505, 1112 & 1135;
· 123 William Street, New York, in Conference Room 231; and
· 295 Main Street, Buffalo, in Conference Room 803.
Anyone interested in attending the meeting in-person is encouraged to email Code.development@dos.ny.gov prior to the meeting with the location they plan to attend. Alternatively, the public may attend the live meeting remotely from any location Register here.
*2025 02 28 – State & Provincial Incentives and Initiatives for Geothermal Systems. – 11:30 am ET – IGSHPA Dig Deeper Series – “In this Dig Deeper session, we will explore how Illinois, New York, and Ontario, Canada are actively supporting the adoption of Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) technology. We will also discuss how these initiatives can be combined with other incentives, such as the IRA. Our panel of Geothermal advocates Kathy Ridley from the Geothermal Alliance of Illinois, Christine Hoffer from NY-GEO, and Chad Brezynskie from the Ontario Geothermal Association.” Register here.
*2025 03 03 – NY State Energy Plan Scope – 2:00-4:00 pm ET – “The New York State Energy Planning Board… will meet to consider and act upon the minutes of the December 12, 2024 meeting of the Board and consider and act upon the adoption of the Scope for the State Energy Plan. The Board will also discuss investments in New York’s infrastructure, (and) the planned approach for techno-economic pathways analysis… The meeting is open to the public for listening only and will not include public comment.” Event web link. password: energy. In-person registration here.
2025 03 11 to 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 (ends January 31, 2025!), and as always, if you are a GAOI or IGSHPA member you get to register at a discount!” The conference agenda is now available on the conference website. Link.
*2025 03 12 – IGSHPA Virtual Town Hall – 11:30 AM ET - “Join us on Wednesday, March 12 for a special LIVE Town Hall event direct from the IGSHPA/GAOI Annual Conference! IGSHPA Marketing Manager, Sally Stephens will take you on a virtual tour of the Conference Exhibit Hall and talk to various attendees, sponsors and exhibitors. This is your chance to engage with industry leaders, ask pressing questions, and gain invaluable insights into the latest developments in ground-source heat pump technology. If you are not able to be with us in Champaign, be sure to tune in!" Register here.
2025 04 22 to 24 – NY-GEO 2025 in Saratoga Springs – Early Bird Pricing is now available! This Upstate event will be our only/sole NY-GEO conference in 2025. For 2026 the NY-GEO conference is planned to be located Downstate – NYC area. The April 2025 NY-GEO events in Saratoga will include Pre-Conference Geothermal Drilling Demonstrations & GSHP Site Tours followed by 2 Days of Conference Education Sessions, co-located with a great Vendor Exhibition Hall. Check the NY-GEO 2025 Saratoga Springs page for information as it becomes available.
*2025 04 25 –Tube-In-Tube Piping – IGSHPA’s Dig Deeper series – “This webinar will introduce a new ground loop system, including a unique manifold to accommodate a tube-in-tube piping arrangement. The speakers will educate the audience by describing three recent installations, reviewing installation methodology, and describing the benefits of the system. As compared to the current approach for horizontal ground-loop installation, the system can be installed with fewer welds, reduced field time, less technical skill, reduced area of excavation (can be drilled from one location), and less impact to landscaping.” Register here.
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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.
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