Just In! (from NY-GEO)

Below are G.E.T.’s top picks from NY-GEO’s weekly “Just-In” Newsletter. Just In! features three fresh news item summaries on the NY-GEO home page every Monday. NY-GEO members get the full newsletter, which includes an advanced look at the website articles, plus event listings and job openings and several bonus article summaries with links, usually on the Saturday before website publication.

Report Issued on District Thermal Marketplace Regulatory Issues – Pace Energy and Climate Center at Pace University has completed a report for NYSERDA titled Overcoming Legal and Regulatory Barriers to District Geothermal in New York State. “This study considers how property rights and permitting regimes governing geothermal projects can inform potential business models to advance the technology and presents recommendations for State authorities to consider in order to scale geothermal energy technology…” The report includes a table listing over 30 systems surveyed, including 6 district systems and 16 campus systems. Final Report Issued June 2021 [PDF]

D.C. Ends Rebates for Gas Appliances – “After August 20, 2021, in line with District policy and the Clean Energy DC Plan, the DCSEU will no longer offer rebates for residential natural gas equipment in the Efficient Products program. This includes rebates for residential gas dryers, furnaces, boilers, and water heaters. To help residents make the transition to efficient electric heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, the DCSEU has increased rebates for the most efficient heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.” Unfortunately, this program has no rebates for ground source heat pumps, but establishes an important precedent in eliminating rebates for gas appliances.