Publicity
From GeoExchange.org 2/24/09:
The
Stimulus Bill signed by the President on February 17th eliminates
the $2,000 limit on the 30% tax credit for homeowners who install geothermal
heat pump systems in 2009 and later years. For systems placed in
service in 2008, the $2,000 limit still applies So, for example, if a
homeowner pays $15,000 for a geothermal heat pump system installed in 2009,
a tax credit of $4,500 could apply.
For systems placed in service in 2008, use IRS 2008 Form 5695 for the
Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit to claim the $2,000 tax credit
for Energy Star geothermal heat pumps. You can view and download the form
at the following link:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf
Line 18 on the form is where you enter "Qualified geothermal heat pump
property costs", Line 19 is where you multiply costs by 30%, and Line 20
displays the $2,000 "Maximum credit amount" for 2008. |
Subject: |
RE: Heatspring course |
Date: |
2/20/2009 12:32:11 P.M. Eastern Standard
Time |
Peter,
According to our grading, you will receive a 99% on the test. Nice work!
Remember, because of the increased volume of people going through the 3-day
course,
IGSHPA is about 8-12 weeks out on getting test results back to new members.
Let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Thanks.
Ryan Carda
Applications Engineer
Geo-Connections, Inc.
302 E. Warehouse St.
Elkton,
SD 57026
Thank you Ryan and everyone at Heatspring
It was a great 3 day course in Boston.
You also prepared me to later pass the US
Green Buildings Council LEED AP exam.
But not with such a good grade!
Pete
The following was prepared by DennisM of GroundSource Geothermal in response
to a request for guidance from the Obama Energy Team.
Dec 31, 2008
NOWHERE TO GO BUT DOWN:
SUGGESTIONS FOR FEDERAL EE/GSHP POLICY
FROM 27 GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
REPRESENTATIVES
FINANCIAL STIMULUS
1.Expand the recent $2,000 residential/10% commercial tax incentive.
2.Consider new ways to finance GSHP such as Federal loop financing through an
"Energy Efficiency Bank" that cushions first cost for energy efficiency & GSHP
programs.
3.Create an alternative energy/energy efficiency feed-in tariff that takes into
account the demand-reducing benefits of GSHP.
4.Treat residential geothermal HVAC with the same incentives as Solar and Wind.
Packaged inclusion will provide tremendous promotion for the technologies and
will assure current and ongoing incentives, keeping each level of government and
utilities from having to create an entirely new set of legislation or special
incentives.
5.Fund the approved DOE rebate from the 2005 energy bill. Section 206(c) of the
Energy Policy Act authorized a $3,000 rebate program for renewable energy
systems but DOE never requested appropriations; the new administration could
direct DOE to request appropriations to carry out an aggressive program to
install GSHP's.
6.Allow utilities and qualified third parties access to government rate long
term loop funds (30-35 years) for loop leases/tariffs. If traditional utilities
are not interested, other enmities will be able to become “virtual utilities.”
7.Exempt new GSHP load from state restrictions on kWh sales growth. Remove of
the $2,000 cap on residential geothermal, allow the tax credit to be 30% of the
installed cost.
8.Provide a federal loan or loan guarantee for 20 years at 7% for the cost of
retrofit systems. This could be administered by the electric utilities and paid
on the bill. The utility would receive credit toward their Renewable Energy
Source requirements and an admin fee.
9.Apply performance-based incentives to energy efficiency and ground source
energy sources. A solar project can get a monetary incentive for each green kWh
generated, but an incentive that compensates the system owner for every “dirty”
kWh avoided would have even more valuable.
10.Create a small business incentive to propose and install combined GSHP and
solar systems. Joint-ventures between small HVAC providers and solar providers
would establish GSHP as a preferred alternative to combustion-powered furnaces.
11.Identify federal and public buildings for energy efficiency & GSHP retrofit
work as part of the Stimulus. These buildings will be in service for a long
time, so the allowable payback periods should be very long, limited only by the
expected system lifetimes. Installation should be followed up with proper
maintenance, monitoring, and system analysis so that lessons about operation can
be learned over time.
To view the rest of the post please visit
http://forum.geoexchange.org/geothermal-geoexchange-forums/geoexchange-advocacy/energy-policy-obama-administration-367.html
Nov 29, 2008
The Festival of Trees will feature a free Geothermal
Consultation to the highest bidder.
Upcoming event: Lecture on November 15:
Litchfield engineer puts plans for geothermal heat, cooling
on Web site
|
By JOE JESSOP
Torrington Register Citizen (Daily Newspaper) June 14, 2008 |
LITCHFIELD — Do-it-yourself geothermal heat and air-conditioning is
worth a try, says a Litchfield civil engineer.
A Web site by Peter Tavino, PE, shows
pictures and explains how he and his wife Mary installed their geothermal
system. Complete with site plans and charts of ground temperatures, Tavino
challenges others to give it a try.
You don’t need to be a licensed
engineer to do this, Tavino said. “I want people to learn how
to do this and do it themselves,” Tavino said. “I want to share the
information. The days of keeping information for personal wealth are over.”
The system uses 730 feet of 2-inch
diameter geothermal pipe, the site says. They laid the pipe in a trench
averaging 5 to 6 feet, but went as deep as 7 feet. Much of the pipe is laid
in groundwater, which is a good conductor for geothermal heat.
The buried pipe connects to the new
heat pump in the basement and makes a series of loops before returning to
the basement as a closed loop system, the site says. A combination of water
and biodegradable food-based antifreeze runs through the system.
Average ground temperature in
Litchfield is 50 degrees. By the time the fluid returns through the pipe, it
is either warmed or cooled by the earth.
“We run the 50 degree water through a
heat pump that Connecticut Licensed Heating Contractor Carl LePere describes
simply as sort of a reverse refrigerator,” the site says. “By compressing
Freon, we draw heat from the 50-degree water, and return it to the
underground pipe at about 40 degrees. For cooling, we reverse the hybrid
heat pump, and return it to the underground pipe at 60 degrees. By the time
the pipeline water completes its 730 foot long underground loop and returns
for more heat pump use, it is back to its 50 degrees or so.”
(Indoor room temperature is as set at 70 degrees or so.)
The system will service the 2000-square
foot first floor, the site says. The Tavinos expect to cut their heating oil
usage in half, by 500 to 600 gallons per year, and cut electric air
conditioning cost in half.
The site lists the estimated cost of
materials for the construction. Tavino estimates that the project would cost
$10,000 for the do-it-yourselfer with HVAC experience; $15,000 if a lot of
help is needed and $20,000 for those who want the full installation done for
them.
|
Web site is
www.litchfieldgeothermal.com
Details on the August 26, 2008 Lecture at the
Oliver Wolcott Library
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your message and interest in giving another program here at
OWL. We would be delighted to have you, (Carl) and Lynne present a
program on this topic. I agree that this is a real "buzz" these days and
should be of real interest to many people in the community.
Ann Marie,
Speakers: Licensed Heating Contractor Carl LePere, Homeowner Lynn
Fulkerson & Engineer Peter Tavino.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are being installed for
individual homes in Litchfield. Learn how the 50 degree
temperature under your lawn can be converted to 70 degrees inside
your house, with an inexpensive, non polluting heat pump.
(Alliant image from my web site)
Pete
Ann Marie,
Here is longer explanation:
With electric and home heating oil prices soaring, there is an
inexpensive alternative by using the 50 degree heat below
ground. A closed geothermal pipe loop circulates water from
your basement to beneath your lawn and back into your basement.
In the summer, a heat pump uses the 50 degree water to provide
air conditioning, and returns it under the lawn at 60 degrees,
while circulating 70 degree coolness through the house. In the
winter the heat from the 50 degree water is extracted, and 40
degree water is pumped out under the lawn, while 70 degree heat
is circulated throughout the house.
Come see how Litchfielders have installed these systems, and if
one is right for you.
Hi Peter,
The description and details of the program are perfect.
Great! I'll wait to hear from you about confirming the date.
Looking forward to having you all here!
Best, AM
Tuesday August 26 it is. 7 pm
Thank you John McKenna for this front page article in the Waterbury
Republican American 5/17/08 promoting geothermal use.
In Litchfield, this link is of interest:
News article from The Litchfield County Times in 2006
This Litchfield home has two wells 300' deep instead of the horizontal loop,
and is working great!
Congratulations John and Lynn! Glad to know you are so pleased with your
system.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17288566&BRD=2303&PAG=461&dept_id=478976&rfi=6
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