October 22, 2015 | Geothermal Industry | Association News | Geothermal News |
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From the President
As usual, I came back from our annual Conference with renewed enthusiasm for the GSHP industry. The conference sessions showed how our technology is being adapted into the “vision” for a sustainable, lower carbon future.
There was an incredible group of speakers in Kansas City, representing some of the best products, research, and experience in the industry. If you missed getting to all of the sessions you hoped to, or couldn’t make it to the conference this year, you will be able to see these presentations at the IGSHPA website in the near future.
The new IGSHPA Connect forum went live at the conference. If you are an IGSHPA member, log onto the forum using your membership ID and become a part of the conversation at connect.igshpa.org. This forum will have many uses in the near future, and will be a great way for members to interact with each other on different topics.
read more
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The 2015 IGSHPA Technical Conference and Expo
More than 400 people attended the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association’s 28th Annual Technical Conference and Expo in Kansas City, Missouri, October 7-8, 2015. Thirty-eight people attended the Accredited Installer Workshop, Accredited Driller Workshop, Geo Inspector Workshop, and Certified GeoExchange Designer Plus Course trainings that started October 5 held in conjunction with the annual conference. Seventy industry leaders met face-to-face October 6 in marketing, membership, conference planning, research, advocacy, standards, and training committees planning the future of IGSHPA. Session tracts over the two days included residential applications, commercial applications, institutional applications, technical, and marketing/advocacy. Conference sponsors were Bosch Thermotechnology Corporation, GeoExcel, North American Technician Excellence, and Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Outreach & Extension and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Media partners included National Driller, National Groundwater Association, and World Wide Drilling Resource.
“It was a great conference,” said Dr. Dan Fisher, Professor and Head, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at OSU and IGSHPA Board of Directors member. “The presentations were excellent, the expo was fantastic and the venue was first rate! Most importantly, the sharing of ideas brought us together and expanded our horizons as we considered the challenges and opportunities facing our industry.”
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Geo Outlook
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Geo Inspectors Course Rollout
The first Geo Inspectors course was a success with 18 participants and 3 instructors during the 28th Annual Technical Conference and Expo. Attendees included professionals from consulting firms, engineering firms, product distributors, dealers and utilities. The course taught professionals what is needed to perform on-site inspections and system tests during and after the installation process. These inspections allow professionals to ensure total end-user satisfaction, long-term equipment effectiveness, and code compliance. The course foundation was built around IGSHPA, ASHRAE, and NGWA guidelines for ground-source systems as well as in-depth study of local and state ground-source codes. Participants concluded with training on sample inspection checklists to gain first-hand experience completing the documentation of a ground-source system inspection.
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IGSHPA Connect-New Member Benefit
IGSHPA Connect, IGSHPA’s new online community forum, will roll out next week. All current IGSHPA members will have access to this forum. Move the conversation from LinkedIn to IGSHPA Connect to join others in discussing geothermal topics with this member benefit.
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Geo Outlook Survey
IGSHPA is seeking our membership body’s input to help us in re-designing the Geo Outlook magazine. Please
follow this link and complete a short five minute survey about what you would like to see in the magazine. Your input will help us design the best publication possible.
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2015 Conference Survey
Each year after we wrap up conference we ask for attendee and exhibitor feedback about what worked, what didn’t, and ways we can make next year’s conference even bigger and better. Please
follow this link to take a short five minute survey and help us understand how we can best improve next year’s conference.
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Geothermal News
Utility Provider GSHP Research Recognized
Western Farmers Electric Cooperative was recently featured in the Rural Electric Magazine for their extensive work to validate and prove the efficiency of GSHP technology in peak-load reduction. Read the entire article
here.
GEO Board Expanded, Utility Dues Slashed
During its meeting on Oct. 1 in Washington, DC, the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) Board of Directors confirmed by unanimous vote that new ClimateMaster President and CEO Richard Aldridge will replace Dan Ellis on the Board. Mr. Aldridge has expressed his strong desire to be an active participant with GEO. The Board then unanimously voted to expand the Board from 7 to 9 members, including Mr. Ellis (Comfortworks) as a Director-at-Large. One GEO Board seat is left open for new company participation. The GEO Board now includes:
- Chairman Steve Smith (Enertech Global LLC – Greenville, IL)
- Vice Chairman Keith Swilley (Gulf Power / Southern Company – Pensacola, FL)
- Secty./Treasurer Phil Schoen (Geo Enterprises – Catoosa, OK)
- Member Richard Aldridge (ClimateMaster, Inc. – Oklahoma City, OK)
- Member Tom Huntington (WaterFurnace Renewable Energy – Fort Wayne, IN)
- Member Joe Parsons (EarthLinked Technologies – Lakeland, FL)
- Member Chris Mays (Emerson Climate Technologies – Sidney, OH)
- Member Dan Ellis (Comfortworks – Goldsby, OK)
- Member Open Seat
In other action, the Board unanimously voted to lower GEO membership dues for utilities from 5 cents per meter with a $25,000 cap to a stratified dues structure depending on business model. The new dues are $2,500 per year for Investor-Owned Utilities, $1,000 per year for Generation and Trans-mission Cooperatives, $500 per year for Municipal Electric Utilities, and $500 per year for Electric Distribution Cooperatives. The change is meant to foster greater participation with GEO among all types of utility service providers. (GEO)
CaliforniaGeo Webinar
CaliforniaGeo will deliver a one-two punch against our state’s severe drought with two webinars, on Nov. 19 and Dec. 10, making the case to replace cooling towers for commercial buildings with the most efficient heating and cooling technology —geothermal heat pumps. Water districts across California are struggling to meet the Gov. Brown’s mandatory 25% reduction of potable water consumption. Conversion from cooling towers’ consumption to geothermal heat pumps’ zero potable water use constitutes the low-hanging fruit of permanent reduction of this increasingly scarce resource.
The first CaliforniaGeo webinar will explain the reduction order and then analyze the methods and mathematics of cooling tower consumption of water, energy use, and rising costs. The second webinar will cover the alternative of geothermal heat pump cooling, with a preview of multiple case studies. The presentations will be delivered online via WebEx. and will feature a Question & Answer segment for viewers. Each webinar is only $24.99 for CaliforniaGeo Members, or $49.99 for non-members. For AIA CEUs, please add $40. Signup and additional webinar information will be available after Nov. 1.
Email CaliforniaGeo President Bill Martin for details on content, speakers and registration.
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Have News?
Do you have news you want to share with IGSHPA for consideration for The Loop? Email Erin Portman,
erin.portman@okstate.edu, with your news.
The IGSHPA monthly newsletter goes to all current and past IGSHPA members and those who have asked to be on a mailing list for geothermal updates. Please unsubscribe below if you no longer wish to receive emails from IGSHPA.
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