Going underground for energy efficient heating

Phillip Island & San Remo Advertiser
Wednesday 27/2/2008 Page: 23

An Australian heating company is tapping into the temperatures below the earth's surface and using up to 75% less energy than conventional heating and cooling systems.

Energycore, which installs earth-linked Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP) in Victoria, is one of the many energy efficient and environmentally sustainable companies to demonstrate its products at Wonthaggi's Energy Innovation Festival this weekend. The refrigerant-based, closed-loop pumps use the earth rather than ambient air as a heat source and sink.

Ground temperatures are cooler than the ambient air in the summer and warmer during winter, so the geothermal pumps benefit from pumping heat over smaller temperature difference, and therefore more efficiently, year round. copper loops in the deep bores, up to 30 metres, harness a unique resource; the heat of the earth itself. It is a constantly available, clean, renewable energy source with environmental benefits and cost savings. "Nature's got it all worked out," said Energycore project leader Donald Payne.

"Another way to access this would be to all live in our basements and not have any view." "This is a way of still being above ground but having the benefits." The company has successfully operated projects at Point Lonsdale, Cranbourne, Surrey Hills and Narre Warren. The innovation is also destined for the local region. Newhaven College is applying for Government funding through the Four Seasons Pilot Program to install the geothermal pumps at its Year 9 Environmental Centre and further new buildings.

A new industry
Donald Payne, believes the Geothermal Heat Pumps will define a new industry over the next decade. "As chair of the Australian Geothermal Energy Association sub-committee for Geothermal Heat Pumps, I am presenting the position paper for GHPs to the Federal Energy Minister Martin Ferguson next week." "There will be much activity in the geothermal space as the government rolls out its climate-change policy commitments." A rebate scheme is proposed for the energy saving technology.

Donald Payne said smaller holes and drilling costs have made the geothermal pumps economically accessible to the residential market for the first time in Australia. Homeowners, builders, engineers and architects can use Energycore's GHPs for radiant hydronic floor heating, hydronic radiant panel heating, chilled water cooling, forced air central heating and cooling, heating for swimming pools and spas and domestic or commercial hot water Energycore representatives will be on hand to answer any questions, and to demonstrate case studies, at the Wonthaggi Innovation Festival Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1.