Ground Up magazine issue EGSHPA
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EGSHPA European Ground Source Heat Pump Association
The Greatest Show on Earth – NGWA Expo 2012 How a GSHP can help protect Britain’s heritage Green Design: A Glimpse into the Future
Solar Power’s Burning Issue
Stars and their Pumps Ground Up magazine / ISSUE 5 / 5.99€ 05
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C ntents issue 5
Throwing light on Solar Power page 6-8 The most burning issue facing Solar Power: we take an in-depth look.
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Thought leader in Energy page 9 Voted one of the top energy ‘thinkers’, Stephen Hamstra is highly regarded within the renewable energy industry. And as a guest writer this issue, we wanted to find out what makes him tick. Rio+20 - Review & Analysis page 10-12 The world had low expectations for Rio+20. Sadly, it seems these were met. We look past the spin and discover some hard facts. Tomorrow’s Urban Planning Tool page 14-17 Would you like to know the future? We have details of an incredible new tool that will tell you how your plans for sustainability will work out in 2050. News Roundup page 18-19 Here we catch up with the latest happenings in Wind, Wave and Biomass technology. Stars and their Pumps page 20-21 Jayne Torvill strikes gold again (sorry - Ed) with not one but two ground source heat pumps. Viva Las Vegas, with the NGWA page 22-24 The National Ground Water Association is holding its annual expo in Las Vegas in December. We take a look at all the show has to offer, and why it might be worth booking your place.
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Good News for Ground Source Heat Pumps page 25-26 With the UK languishing in a ‘double dip’, money for many projects is tight. However, the Carbon Trust and Siemens Financial Services might just have a solution. Ed Lohrenz: Trying Things Differently page 27-28 We are very pleased to announce a new addition to the Ground Up team: Ed Lohrenz. Here we take a brief look at his career, life and philosophy.
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Calculating Peak Loads page 29-33 New addition to the Ground Up team, Ed Lohrenz, takes us through the calculations needed to determine Peak Loads.
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A Quick and Easy Guide to Ground Source Heat Pumps page 34-36 We were trying to think of a way we could spread the word about GSHPs to the uninitiated. So here it is - in plain language for all to understand. Please pass it on.
British Heritage & Ground Source Heat Pumps page 48-49 Built in the 1800s, it was feared the good ship Glenlee would be left to rot. But hard work, determination, and a GSHP, saved the day.
The Future of Ground Source Heat Pumps page 37-43 Stephen Hamstra gives us some insight into the importance of flow control, and how it might impact the future of GSHPs.
Your Say, We Help page 51 Readers’ Letters: Our experts offer solutions to your problems.
Our NEW Classified Section News Headlines page 54-59 page 44-45 Looking for a trust-worthy professional? Look no Keep abreast of what’s happening in the GSHP sector further! Our re-designed Classified Section has all the with our news section. details on all the best in our industry. Ground Up magazine delivers the latest news and information on the Renewable Energy Industry. Each issue brings you unrivalled indepth features along with exclusive interviews of the biggest players in the game.
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Stephen Hamstra Thought Leader in Energy As part of Ground Up magazine’s commitment to bring our readers in-depth interviews with the industry’s top thinkers we are please to present a Q & A with Stephen Hamstra.
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tephen Hamstra has been at the head of the curve when it comes to the green building industry since he was a child and his father installed one of the first solar thermal collection systems in Western Michigan. In 1975, Stephen built his first solar collector, and in 2001, he became the first engineer in Michigan to achieve Accredited Professional status from the U.S. Green Building Council LEED. In 2008, he achieved the ASHRAE High Performance Building Design Professional status. He also created the engineering design for Michigan’s first USGBC LEED Gold project. He has since been recognized by the Association of Energy Engineers as Engineer of the Year, and in 2007, he was honored with the organization’s “Legend in Energy” lifetime achievement award. He was also selected by the Association of Energy Engineers as the 2006 Energy Engineer of the Year in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Stephen has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. He is also a Certified GeoExchange Designer. But perhaps most impressive is the fact he was named as one of eight individuals from his region as their 2010 ‘Thought Leader in Energy’ We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to find out more about Stephen Hamstra, and are very pleased he spared us some of his time for an interview.
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I love having the ability to be creative and create a total solution by thinking out of the box. I strongly believe that engineers are called to impact society in a positive way and my position at Greensleeves allows me to do that.
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What does your job involve? My job is not a typical mechanical engineering role. Our company is creating affordable energy efficient solutions for the commercial market. I am constantly thinking about how large buildings can utilize new and innovative combinations of solutions that balance first cost and on-going energy usage while applying off-the-shelf hardware solutions. This requires unique control software. These capabilities are prepackaged by Greensleeves into hybrid-ready systems preconfigured to use multiple heating, cooling and storage devices working together. How did you get into this line of work? I have been interested in the green building industry since I was a child when my father, a mechanical contractor, installed one of the first solar thermal collection systems in Western Michigan. In 1975, I built my first solar collector, and in 2001, became the first engineer in Michigan to achieve LEED Accredited Professional from the U.S. Green Building Council. In 2008, I achieved the ASHRAE High Performance Building Design Professional status. In addition, I created the engineering design for Michigan’s first USGBC LEED Gold project. Sustainability has been a passion for the majority of my career, but for many years our marketplace was simply not interested. That has changed. What do you enjoy most about your job? I love having the he ability to be creative and create a total solution by thinking out of the box. I strongly believe that engineers are called to impact society in a positive way and my position at Greensleeves allows me to do that. We have been able to assemble a uniquely powerful group of people blending software development experience with geothermal heat pump experience. This summer we have three PhD candidates helping to refine our optimization software – it’s exciting to work with all of this talent! What makes Greensleeves different? Greensleeves LLC was created to make alternative energy affordable for conditioning buildings – to make clean energy systems cost competitive with conventional HVAC systems. The company invests in designing and marketing systems that use advanced energy modeling, mechanical engineering and artificial intelligence to deliver a new type of local energy management equipment. Greensleeves has patents pending on sophisticated energy management technology. What did being named as a ‘thought leader in energy’ mean to you? Being named “thought leader in energy” was an incredible honor. My goal has never been to receive recognition but to impact society by reducing fossil fuel dependence and the impact it has on the earth. I am flattered to be recognized for this work. The expression that “we stand upon the shoulders of those that came before us” is very true. We are positioned at a unique time in history where the world is beginning to understand that our current energy consumption patterns are not sustainable – we finally have a receptive audience eager to hear what we have to say. What would you say are the most pressing issues in our industry at the moment? I do not think we have to accept that sustainability is too expensive. We routinely get high returns on our investments in energy efficiency. Unfortunately, the concept that design-bidbuild is the way to get the best for the cheapest often interferes with good investment and sustainability returns. We know that
buildings are better designed as whole systems and when we try to optimize each component price, we sub-optimize the system. Future energy costs frequently increase in a hidden form when the building design goes out to bid and components are “value engineered” to the point that the system no longer works efficiently. When a system is looked at as a whole – including the financial trade-offs - the best return on investment can be achieved.
A 100-year plan! I was flabbergasted!
Here in the United States, as we compare ourselves to Europe, we see a different mentality with regards to energy investments. The United States has been far too focused on very short term returns instead of long term returns that reflect the anticipated life of our buildings. I often use the example of meeting with a CEO of a well-established boiler manufacturer in Germany and he was explaining their “100 year plan”. I was flabbergasted – here in the US we can barely get past “quarterly earnings reports” and have a mental time horizon that is typically limited to 3 or 4 years. We are finally seeing that position beginning to change and our clients are slightly more open to investments that can bring huge returns over the life of a building, but might not fit the “2 year simple payback” mentality. Much of our technology development at Greensleeves is focused on shortening payback periods, but we could do so much more if we could all look just a little bit beyond a 2-3 year horizon. Where do you see our industry in 10 years? It will be integrating entirely new methods for managing the energy cycle. There will have to be a greening of the world using more sophisticated technology to manage the energy cycle. Energy is all around us, we will learn to channel it with less cost. I often use the analogy of the hybrid car that recovers and stores energy as the brake pedal is pressed – we are employing this concept as well using geothermal technology – we seasonally and daily set energy aside for either later use or for later dissipation when conditions allow us to do that using less energy. What do you think Europe can learn from America? And vice versa? Europe is often ahead of America in green initiatives especially geothermal. 85% of the homes in Sweden use geothermal and they are very good at installing it cost effectively. However, the United States leads the world in computer technology, artificial intelligence and designing products that work the way the market wants them to work. We need to embrace geothermal heat pump technology as the only clean, constant source of renewable energy, but apply US expertise to making it easier and cheaper. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? Be still and listen. July 2012 l Ground Up
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The Greatest Show on Earth The National Ground Water Association returns to Las Vegas for its 2012 Groundwater Expo, December 4-7, 2012. Ground Up magazine has gained a sneak preview ‌
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e’re looking ahead to the 2012 NGWA Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, December 4-7 to “Discover — Connect — Grow!” It’s here at the industry’s leading annual event with its cutting-edge educational programming, an exhibit hall with the latest in equipment and technological innovations, a multitude of networking opportunities and more that groundwater professionals from all industry segments and all geographic areas will gather. This marks the 18th time the industry’s premier event will be in the City of Lights. And as all of the biggest shows in the event’s history have happened in Las Vegas, this one should be no different. The Expo offers 80-plus hours of educational opportunities, such as workshops and panel discussions, that are designed to make you a better industry professional, spread over four days. There are also notable speakers who will give presentations and an exhibit hall packed with the newest products and tools from the top manufacturers and suppliers in the groundwater industry. Topics include: Business management Drilling operations and well construction Geothermal operations Innovative approaches Professional development Safety/compliance/safe practice Sustainable and available groundwater Water quality and treatment Water systems Well maintenance and rehabilitation.
true. He will share his journey from small town beginnings in Bishopville, South Carolina, to making it to the PGA Tour and the importance of staying true to your form.
New Product Showcase
Seeing the hottest new groundwater industry products, services, and technologies is easy to do at the New Products Showcase. The showcase will feature information and details about the newest items in groundwater industry. Look for it in the pre-function area right outside of the Exhibit Hall.
2013 McEllhiney Lecture Kickoff Presentation
John Jansen, Ph.D., PG, principal and senior hydrogeologist for Cardno ENTRIX, will kick off his 2013 lecture series with his talk “Is Your Aquifer Sustainable and How Would You Know?” Learn how sound science and clearly defined goals are necessary as starting points to build the political consensus needed to use our aquifers in a sustainable manner.
2012 Darcy Lecture Farewell Presentation S. Majid Hassanizadeh, Ph.D., will cap off another successful year of the Darcy Lecture series as he presents his talk
The 2012 NGWA Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting — Las Vegas • Nevada • USA • December 4-7 —
offers something for everyone!
Exhibit Hall
The Exhibit Hall will be packed with the latest wares of the groundwater industry. The top manufacturers and suppliers will be on thousands of feet of exhibit space in the hall. In 2011, a record number of exhibiting companies and organizations (325) turned out for the NGWA Groundwater Expo, where despite the ongoing recession the Expo posted one of its strongest showings ever.
D i s c o v e r.
ne Con
Learn from industry experts during 70-plus hours of educational workshops and presentations. • Business management • Drilling operations and well construction
Explore the latest in products and services from hundreds of exhibitors. • Special informational sessions with exhibitors Tuesday, December 4 • Exhibit hall
• Innovative approaches
Wednesday, December 5, 12 noon to 6 p.m.
• Professional development
Thursday, December 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Safety/compliance/safe practice • Sustainable and available groundwater • Water quality and treatment
• New Product Showcase Conveniently located in the convention center lobby
• Water systems • Well maintenance and rehabilitation
CONTINUE READING
Keynote Address — “Living His Dream” Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey (so called because of his two-gloved grip), former A.O. Smith Corp. employee-turnedpro golfer, will recount his story of making his dream come
GROW.
It’s here at the Expo that professionals from all sectors of the groundwater industry—water well contractors, scientists and engineers, manufacturers and suppliers—come together in one setting to work side-by-side for the betterment of both the industry and the resource.
• Geothermal operations
Highlights of the 2012 Expo include:
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“Capillarity in Porous Media, on Micro- and Macroscale, Revisited.” The series — which has reached more than 70,000 groundwater students, faculty members, and professionals — honours Henry Darcy of France for his 1856 investigations that established the physical basis upon which groundwater hydrogeology has been studied ever since. Optional Course “Geothermal Forum: Beyond the Basics” Friday, December 7, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Additional registration and fees required If you’d like more information on the Expo please visit www. groundwaterexpo.com Who are the NGWA? The National Ground Water Association is the hallmark organization for anyone affiliated with the groundwater industry. A nonprofit organization, NGWA is composed of U.S. and international groundwater professionals — contractors, scientists and engineers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Their purpose is to provide guidance to members, government representatives, and the public for sound scientific, economic, and beneficial development, protection, and management of the world’s groundwater resources. The NGWA is a voluntary organization whose stated mission is to enhance the skills and credibility of all groundwater professionals, develop and exchange industry knowledge and promote the groundwater industry and understanding of groundwater resources. By adherence to these aims it has become the premier organization for anyone associated with the groundwater industry. Contact details: The National Ground Water Association 601 Dempsey Road Westerville, Ohio 43081-8978 USA Tel: 614 898.7791 Fax: 614 898.7786 E-mail: ngwa@ngwa.org Useful websites: www.ngwa.org — home site of NGWA www.wellowner.org — information for well owners www.groundwateradventurers.org — for kids www.waterwelljournal.com — online home of Water Well Journal® www.groundwatersummit.org — online home of NGWA’s annual Ground Water Summit
For more information contact the NGWA for a copy of their Exhibitor Prospectus.
Join us in Las Vegas this December! From exhibits and education to activities and awards, you’ll not want to miss a minute of this year’s stellar groundwater industry event. “I was very satisfied with this year’s . . . Expo. The classes which I attended were full of valuable information . . . My only disappointment was that I couldn’t attend every class . . . ” — Bill Himes, Himes Drilling Co.
“Expo is the premiere groundwater event for education and new equipment technology.” —Andy Cato California Department of Toxic Substance Control
www.GroundwaterExpo.com +1 614 898-7791
Discover the tried-and-true, as well as all that’s new . . . learn from industry experts during cutting-edge educational offerings . . . explore the latest in products and services from exhibitors.
Discover
Connect
Connect with old friends . . . make new ones . . . forge partnerships across all sectors of the industry.
Grow
Grow your business and your industry, as well as professionally and personally.
Discover.
t. c e n n o C
The seminars that I attended were . . . excellent and well worth the time . . . The exhibition hall was awesome . . . What a wonderful opportunity to connect with drillers not only from around the United States but also from other countries.” — Mike Wahlfield Wahlfield Drilling Co.
Gr o w .
2012 NGWA Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. December 4-7, 2012
Expo Ad European A-4 2012.indd 1
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Reach Your Target Audience 64th Annual NGWA Groundwater Expo and Annual Meeting Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
www.GroundwaterExpo.com
Discover. Connect. Grow. Exhibitor Prospectus
®
Conference Dates: Dec 4-7, 2012 Exhibit Hall Dates: Dec 5-6, 2012
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A bright future for Ground Source Heat Pumps Myles McCarthy (below), Managing Director of the Carbon Trust has some exciting news ...
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he Carbon Trust is a world-leading organisation helping businesses, governments and the public sector to accelerate the move to a low-carbon economy through carbon reduction, energysaving strategies and commercialising low-carbon technologies. Here, Myles McCarthy, Managing Director of the Carbon Trust Implementation Services reveals the details behind an exciting new method of financing installations. The European Market for Ground Source Heat Pumps, increasing fossil fuel prices and a deeper understanding of environmental issues are creating a greater demand for energy-efficient heating and cooling systems such as Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs). In the UK, the increased uptake of this technology has also been driven by a combination of factors, notably – the introduction of the Merton rule in 2008 (which requires new developments above a certain size to generate 10% of their energy needs from on-site renewables) as well as a growing number of new entrants in the utility market which have driven up the number of domestic installations. Despite the challenging economic climate, GSHPs have seen a dramatic increase in popularity as a renewable source of energy across Europe. The market for GSHPs is well established in a number of European countries, particularly
Sweden, Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. The UK, Finland, Poland and the Netherlands also have great potential for this technology. The outlook for GSHPs remains positive, as evidenced by the figures published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, which show that total sales in the twenty EU countries with advanced heat pump markets totalled 752,106 units at the end of 2010. Further deployment of GSHPs, would be beneficial for less developed GSHP markets, with valuable lessons to be drawn from the market leaders. Undoubtedly, the exchange of technical ‘know-how’ and market strategy would facilitate the establishment of more selfsustaining markets and help remove the initial barriers of limited awareness and high capital cost.
Cash positive every month of the project
Affording GSHPs investments In spite of the positive development in the GSHP markets, the credit squeeze has restricted the availability of credit to fund investments. The latest Bank of England report shows that the annual rate of growth in the stock of lending to UK businesses was negative, and the stock of lending to SMEs has continued to contract in the first quarter of 2012. To enable companies to raise finance for energy-efficiency
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GSHPs are predicted to reach a customer base of 2.6 million
investments, the Carbon Trust and Siemens Financial Services Limited (SFS) have joined forces and launched the Energy Efficiency Financing scheme (EEF) in the UK. In recognising the key function that GSHPs play in meeting carbon emissions targets, this scheme will help businesses seize the opportunities presented by green growth through cutting costs and developing greener products and services. The EEF scheme is designed to provide finance for energy efficient equipment, where the expected energy cost savings are arranged so that they offset the cost of the equipment, effectively meaning the equipment pays for itself. Moreover, in some cases, the monthly savings can be greater than the monthly costs, therefore businesses taking advantage of the scheme can be in effect cash positive every month of the project. The scheme offers customers an alternative to outright cash purchase, and helps heat pump suppliers close their discussions with customers faster as efforts can be focused on providing the best solution for the customer’s needs and achieving the desired energy savings, rather than the upfront costs. The scheme also gives recognised suppliers the ability to integrate the financing offering in their overall customer proposition. Due to the pipework and bore holes necessary to collect the heat, GSHPs cost more to install than traditional heating systems. However, with new, more energy efficient GSHP systems, customers can expect to experience lower energy bills and the operational cost savings can enable them to recoup the capital investment relatively quickly. Along with the EEF scheme, UK customers can expect to benefit from government initiatives such as the recently launched ‘Renewable Heat Incentive’ scheme. Set up in a bid to encourage businesses to install renewable heat technologies, customers who are eligible for the RHI can earn a fixed income for every kilowatt hour of heat they generate. Promoting growth of GSHPs
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In Europe’s quest to reduce its carbon footprint, the construction industry will perform an essential role in achieving the goal of becoming a low carbon industry. This will influence the way in which buildings are designed and constructed in the future and existing infrastructure might also need to be adapted and modified to improve energy efficiency. The installation of GSHPs can sometimes require a large amount of civil engineering works and, as such, is best suited to new builds due to the amount of groundwork required. The use of specialist consultants in the early planning stages of a project will save therefore not only time, money, but also energy too. GSHPs are predicted to reach a customer base of close to 2.6 million units by 2020 in Europe, illustrating the key role it plays in helping to reduce nation’s carbon emissions. Many organisations appreciate that energy and environmental initiatives are potentially of vital importance to their businesses; however, practical advice and support are not always forthcoming in actually identifying and delivering those projects. When considering whether to install a GSHP, many businesses will be concerned about the issues of funding such a project. Therefore, in addition to offering expert advice about the running and maintenance of GSHPs, technology suppliers who are capable of integrating a financing option into their package will certainly strengthen their customer value proposition which, in turn, can help translate customers’ investment intention into a well monitored, cost effective, efficient system. With the introduction of the EEF scheme in the UK, the Carbon Trust is hoping to do just that. This will help ensure that GSHPs can continue its growth path in the country while helping the UK to reduce its carbon footprint. For more information, please visit www.energyefficiencyfinancing. co.uk or from the UK call 0800 988 3718.
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Ed Lohrenz
Trying Things Differently With training becoming an ever important part of our industry, we’re pleased to announce a new addition to the Ground Up team: trainer extraordinaire Ed Lohrenz. We thought we’d better find out a bit about him …
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ho are you? I studied architecture at university and took enough engineering courses to be reasonably dangerous. Since university I’ve had the opportunity to work with quite a few people who like to think outside the box and were willing to try silly things like taking heat from the ground. Since getting involved in the industry in the early ‘80s, I’ve learned a lot of methods and techniques that don’t work and some that do. I want to see this industry grow and want to see more welldesigned and well-built installations. What do you do? In my day job I’m a partner in an engineering design firm and geothermal design/build company specializing in the design and installation of integrated geothermal systems. In addition to my typical day to day activities, I’m involved in several industry and professional associations that promote the design of costeffective geothermal systems, including the Geothermal Industry Council of Canada (GICC), the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the European Ground Source Heat Pump Association (EGSHPA), the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) and the Association for Energy Engineers (AEE). In an effort to promote the design of cost-effective and efficient geothermal systems, I provide on-site and online training courses with
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several like-minded individuals through the Geothermal Training Institute. What does your company do? Geo-Xergy works with clients to design integrated mechanical systems. Most of the systems we get involved in include heat pumps and ground heat exchangers. The majority of the projects our firm is involved in are larger commercial systems. Projects completed by the range from single family homes to district geothermal energy systems. We are currently designing and building a horizontal bore GHX for a 150,000 m2 shopping mall in Canada. The firm has completed projects across Canada and in the United States, as well as some international projects. What makes your company stand out? If I had to suggest one thing that makes our firm different than other mechanical design firms, it would be the emphasis we place on developing an understanding of the buildings we work on. First and foremost, we develop a detailed energy model of our client’s proposed building or project, and then using the energy model as a design tool to work with the client and his or her design team to reduce the energy loads, and more importantly, to balance the energy loads that will be seen by the ground heat exchanger. This allows us to answer the two questions almost every client wanting a more efficient mechanical system want answered: what will an efficient geothermal system cost and what will it cost to install it? What do you hope this series of article will achieve? I hope to help individuals and contracting firms coming into the geothermal industry avoid making the same kinds of mistakes I’ve made in 30 years in the industry. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from a number of innovative and passionate individuals who have had the courage to think outside the box, and feel it is important to help other passionate individuals move the industry forward. How would you describe yourself in just three words? Trying things differently What’s the best piece of advice you’re ever been given? Surround yourself with smart people and ask questions. How green is your life? I try and consider the environment as much as possible. For about 6-7 months of the year I ride a bike to work rather than take a car. Where I live it typically snows by the end of October and snow is on the ground till April, and winter temperatures can hit -40°C, so riding in winter is a bit more than I’m prepared to tackle. I’ve had a geothermal system in our home since 1983. I drive a relatively small diesel vehicle sparingly. I travel by plane but rationalize the travel by the kind of work we are involved in. How can our readers contact you? ed@geoxergy.com
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