Dear Geo Outlook Reader,

If you’re like me, you probably pay attention to energy and environment news. It is rare that a day goes by when I don’t see an alarming article describing how many devastating storms have already occurred this year (with countless more expected). This hurricane season is shaping up to be among the worst ever, and wildfire smoke will soon blanket large swaths of the continent again.

Combine these climates stories with distressing news about the current and future state of our nation’s electric grid. Electric load growth forecasts continue to tick upwards precipitously. Not only must we decarbonize transportation and buildings, but we must do so in the age of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency which are expected to add massive demand on our nation’s already strained grid.

These are the twin challenges of our time – the climate crisis and the once-in-a-century technological shift in our global energy systems. There is a technology that addresses both issues, and you already know what it is – ground source heat pumps.

The importance of the U.S. Department of Energy’s recent report on the many benefits of GSHPs for our climate and our electric grid cannot be overstated. It marks a shift in how we ought to communicate key concepts related to GSHPs. Building efficiency is just one part of the value proposition of the technology. The value to our nation’s energy security, climate resilience, and overall economy is astounding. GSHPs at scale can change the world for the better and that’s not an exaggeration.

Read the report and its findings here. CleanTechnica has a good write-up here. In the coming months, GeoExchange will be undertaking an effort to communicate the report’s findings to key stakeholder groups. Utility companies, regulators, lawmakers, environmental advocates, and many others need to hear how GSHP adoption will impact their constituencies.

We have a lot of work to do until GSHPs become a default choice in buildings, but we can get there if we’re committed to the cause and working together. Onward and upward!

Ryan Dougherty
President, GeoExchange
ryan@geoexchange.org