Google spinoff uses pay-as-you-go business model to spur growth in geothermal systems

Geothermal systems can be potent tools to make heating and cooling more efficient, but the initial cost to install them is a giant barrier to adoption.

A spinoff from Alphabet, Google’s parent, that is backed by Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Alphabet’s venture arm, is using a familiar financing method to breach that obstruction. Dandelion Energy is turning to a pay-as-you-go plan similar to rooftop solar panel leasing to help homeowners afford geothermal heat pump systems.

The company has installed heat pumps in more than 1,000 homes, with plans to double that number next year by offering the leasing model.

The company is also shaving costs from the geothermal installation process by using drilling practices that use geological data to more precisely deduce the optimal depth for each drilling operation.

This cost savings can be passed on to customers. The Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden this year, increases federal tax credits for geothermal energy. That funding of incentives is expected to fuel growth for geothermal projects.

Gas and construction industry groups recently moved to dismiss a lawsuit they had filed to block new Washington state building codes that require heat pumps in new residential and commercial construction. The lawsuit contended that the codes harm the industry groups’ business, interfere with consumer energy choice, and don’t comply with federal law.

The Green Proving Ground program will evaluate an energy storage technology from Yotta Energy that is the size of a large laptop and installed in place of ballast beneath a rooftop photovoltaic system.

Green | Jun 26, 2023

Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.

Mass Timber | May 23, 2023

Luxury farm resort uses CLT framing and geothermal system to boost sustainability

Construction was recently completed on a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn., that is dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable, productive land use. With sustainability a key goal, The Inn and Spa at Southall was built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, and a geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system.

Sixteen-story office tower will use 80% less energy than an average NYC office building

Office Buildings | May 15, 2023

Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building

This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.

St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling

University Buildings | May 5, 2023

New health sciences center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling

The recently topped off St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University in New York City will feature impressive green features including geothermal heating and cooling along with an array of rooftop solar panels. The geothermal field consists of 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground which will help to heat and cool the 70,000 sf structure.

Once completed, the all-electric 1 Java Street property in Brooklyn will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system

Geothermal Technology | Mar 22, 2023

Lendlease secures grants for New York’s largest geothermal residential building

Lendlease and joint venture partner Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, have acquired $4 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build a geoexchange system at 1 Java Street in Brooklyn. Once completed, the all-electric property will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system.