ALEXANDRIA, VA. — The California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC), in partnership with consulting firm Bob Lawrence & Associates Inc., will present an update on the GHPsRUS Project at the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) Technical Conference on Oct. 5 in Tulsa, Okla.
Dr. William E. Glassley, CGEC executive director at the University of California in Davis, will report on progress in acquiring the geological data needed to quantitatively model geothermal heat pump (GHP) design specifications and cost, a crucial component of the GHPsRUS Project.
"Despite the clear technical advantages of GHP systems, an objective national cost-benefit analysis has been lacking. We are developing the first such analysis and will present preliminary results of this work at the meeting," noted Glassley.
The GHPsRUS Project is a three-year effort to measure the costs and benefits of nationwide GHP deployment. The project is evaluating GHP designs for vertical borehole systems in the 30 largest U.S. metropolitan areas.
The CGEC has obtained geological, hydrological, and climatic data and is compiling the data into a web-accessible form for general use. While much of this data is already available, assembling it in a coherent, single database has not been done.
Glassley will summarize the data collection process, and provide preliminary results regarding the extent and nature of data variability and its impact on design and costs.
IGSHPA's Technical Conference and Expo take place at the Tulsa Convention Center, Oct. 5-6. The annual IGSHPA event is the largest gathering of the U.S. geothermal heat pump industry.
Glassley will also make a presentation at the Geothermal Resources Council's 35th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., on Oct. 25.
The GHPsRUS Project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. "GHPsRUS" is short for "Geothermal heat pumps are U.S."
The California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC) works to expand the sustainable use of geothermal resources to meet California's energy needs. The CGEC coordinates activities with the geothermal industry; local, state, and federal agencies; and other entities to focus statewide geothermal activities.
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