New Geo Association for Long Island

On June 6, a number of geothermal heat pump industry stakeholders met with the objective of founding the Long Island Geothermal Energy Organization (LI GEO) to support and promote geothermal heating and cooling in the area. Among others, attendance included the Long Island Power Authority, National Grid (for LIPA), P.W. Grosser Consulting, U.S. Green Building Council, Geo NII, Water Furnace, North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center, GeoEnergy of New York, Air Ideal, Accelerated Services, Apollo HVAC, AFK Group, Air Control Supply, Empire Clean Energy Supply, Integrated Geothermal, True North, TRC Energy Services, Martack Corp., i2 Air Fluid, and WSP F&K.

John Franceschina of the Long Island Power Authority, Tony Penachio of GeoEnergy Enterprises and John Rhyner of P.W. Grosser hosted the meeting. The goals of the association will be similar to other regional, state and national geothermal HVAC associations, including:

• Consumers – Education, awareness of and promotion of, as well as being the object and recipient of, targeted promotions, programs and incentives for increasing the utilization of Geothermal HVAC on Long Island and adjacent areas.
• Government – Recognition of geothermal HVAC as a renewable energy technology and the standardization of local coding issues, as well as being the provider of, or facilitator of, targeted incentives for increased utilization of the technology.
• Training and Codes – Addressing and approving the certification of indoor and outdoor installers of Geo HVAC equipment and ground source heat exchangers. We will seek to unify and standardize island wide building codes to simplify geothermal HVAC installations.
• Promotion – Promote the geothermal HVAC market’s positive effects on the economy including customer savings, the local job market, the environment and related air emissions (carbon, CO, particulates, etc.).

The new association will not represent any particular manufacturer’s line of products, services or equipment, or endorse any particular operating systems or peripheral commercial or residential services or items related to the geothermal HVAC business.

The next LI GEO meeting will be convened on July 11, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at LIPA Headquarters, 333 Earl Ovington Blv., 4th Fl., Uniondale. For more information, contact John Franceschina, Long Island Power Authority at (516) 719-7506 / Tony Penachio, GeoEnergy Enterprises LLC at (917) 418-5048 / John Rhyner, P.W. Grosser Consulting at (631) 589-6353.