GEO Q&A Continued from page 44
and the need for qualified dealers and installers. A very important considera- tion for growing our industry is the federal income tax credit for residen- tial and commercial installations. We must retain it through 2016, and pos- sibly extend it beyond that date. The industry would be on life support without it, which would also mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs. Another challenge is encouraging
investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to support the technology more than they have. We have many examples of electric co-ops being big proponents of GHPs, but IOUs have lagged in their support, financing and promo- tion of GHP technologies. From the federal government standpoint, we have made a lot of headway with a lot of agencies. Notwithstanding our challenges with the U.S. Department
of Energy and its lack of a GHP Technology Program, we’ve seen many installations of GHP systems by the General Services Administration, the Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service and the Department of Defense. We’re very excited about government applica- tions of commercial geothermal heat pump technology. We have to keep pushing agencies to employ GHPs, and I think that will have a “snow- ball” effect, not just for government but in private-sector applications as well.
Five years from now, I’d like to see
GEO impacting energy policy for GHPs at the state level. This goes hand-in-hand with our effort to nudge the IOUs into promoting the technol- ogy, which is more a focus for state- level activities. My ultimate goal for GEO is to have people working for us at the state capitol-level across the country. What is your vision for the future
of the U.S. Geothermal Heat Pump Industry? I think that when the economy
comes back, when we are building homes and commercial buildings at a greater pace, the GHP industry is poised to capture a much greater share of the heating and cooling market. I think we can go from 5% to 30% in only a few years. The only thing hold- ing us back right now is the lack of new home and commercial construc- tion. When building picks up again, the high adoption rate we currently see for retrofits will cascade over into the new building market. I’m very excited about the potential
for growth in the GHP market, and I’m sure we are going to get there. It’s a great industry and a great technolo- gy, and I am very happy to be repre- senting it. There is no downside to GHPs. There is no negative aspect. Everything about this industry is pos- itive — job creation, renewable ener- gy, energy efficiency. It’s all good, it’s all positive. Who wouldn’t want to represent an industry like that? n
For more information about geot- Circle 29 on Reader Reply Form on page 73 Page 46/Plumbing Engineer
hermal heat pumps and GEO mem- bership opportunities, visit online at
www.geoexchange.org or call 888/255-4436 or email GEO@geo
exchange.org.
October 2011
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