WorldWide Drilling Resource

New York State Geothermal Rebate Program by Peter Tavino Litchfield Geothermal After budgeting $15 million for ground source heat pump installations that was all the buzz at the April 2017 New York Geothermal Association conference, the details have been published. Well drilling contractors who have certain credentials can help their clients receive $1500 per ton for 10- or less ton projects, and $1200 per ton for larger systems. Designers and installers must use drilling professionals for vertical systems who: • Are registered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, or • Have a National Ground Water Association Certified Vertical Closed-Loop Driller (CVCLD) certificate, or • Are International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) accredited vertical loop installers, or • Have references from three participating installers. Like designers and installers, drilling contractors will be checked for experience and customer satisfaction. Approved drilling contractors are listed on the website administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Drilling contractors will participate in thermal conductivity tests for vertically bored closed-loop systems exceeding 30 tons in cooling capacity. Standards and requirements must be followed for closed-loop or standing-column wells. Online application rebate forms will be completed in the process. It appears quality control inspections by NYSERDA agents will be for completed projects focusing on heat pumps, not ground heat exchangers, but the applicant must take photos of the drilling work: Drilling operation Identification stamp of the pipe Label for grout used and top of grout Image of bore / well field Distance between boreholes Trench loop connecting bore / well to building Pipe fusion welds Backfilling This program should provide more work and jobs for well drilling businesses after a wet spring which had reduced existing dry water well service work. With the expiration of the federal tax credits in 2016, this rebate encourages more geothermal from owners such as nonprofits and government agencies who could not use the tax credit or accelerated depreciation in the past. I look forward to participating with the new library project we now have under way. The statements and comments in this article are based on information and references believed to be true and factual. If you have any questions or comments, please forward them to me in care of WWDR . Pete Peter may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com ! " # ! 47 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JULY 2017