WASHINGTON — Volunteers with the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) Pacific Northwest Utility Work Group (PNW) recently joined outreach and communications manager Ted Clutter in meetings with officials of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). Their purpose was to continue dialogue started during a May 15 meeting on geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) convened by the resource-focused Oregon Geothermal Working Group.

During a meeting with BPA in Portland, Ore., discussion centered on agency incentives for GHPs, and possible opportunities to bolster that support. BPA is the marketing agent for power from all federally owned hydroelectric projects in the Pacific Northwest. The agency recognizes the efficiencies that can be gained with GHPs, but needs information for a revised specification that recognizes modern equipment efficiencies. BPA currently offers utilities up to $3,500 per residential GHP installation with a desuperheater in two of three specified heating zones, regardless of federal tax rebates. Specifications include COP 3.6 and Energy Star Tier One requirements.

BPA uses a Total Resource Cost (TRC) formula to calculate efficiency. GHPs are marked down due to high upfront cost, and because fuel switching is not allowed, GHPs cannot count cost savings against alternatives like fuel oil or propane. GEO will continue to work with BPA on these and other issues, and collaborate to foster increased commercial installations across the region. The GEO group also discussed the possibility of future meetings and workshops that would focus on successful GHP incentive programs and utilities that have installed GHPs at their facilities.