All you need to know about
Geothermal Energy
Enviroair and Geothermal is a recent association which already has over 50 years of combined experience!
Our organization has brought together experienced and enthusiastic partners allowing us to become a reliable reference available now to assist you in this brand-new sector, so simple but so complicated at the same time.
Our engineers and technicians have years of experience in the construction field, creating the ideal team to assist you from your first questions about project feasibility to the approach taken to optimize results.
Your energy savings outcome will be directly proportional to the care you put into each detail, resulting in greater overall results.
At the project phase, we can guide in making the right decisions, whether you are an owner, consultant or contractor; and at the execution phase, we will ensure to pass on our knowledge to prevent any design and installation errors.
We can also suggest a wide range of products that meet the most stringent expectations making each of them a link to improve your projects overall performance (COP).
Geo (earth) thermal (heat)
Geothermal energy, as we use it in our market, is an exchange phenomenon with the Earth's core called "geo-exchange". Geothermal energy is in fact, heat from the center of the earth
The use of drilling wells 150 meters (500 pt) deep, is essentially the thermal energy stored by solar energy absorbed at the surface, not the use of heat coming from the center of the Earth. Actually, 50% of the sunlight is absorbed by the soil and can be converted into usable heat for building heating purposes.
The soil temperature is much less influenced by climatic changes. The graph shows the variation in temperature over a year at different depths (0, 2, 5 and 12 feet). As we can see, the temperature fluctuation decreases with increasing depth.
Geothermal Heat Pump
A heat pump is a mechanical system capable of transferring heat from a cold environment to a warmer environment.
It accomplishes this task in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics which states that this type of transfer is only possible when work is done.
We know that heat naturally flows from a warm source to a cold sink.
A geothermal heat pump uses the ground, groundwater or any open body of water (lake, pond…) as a heat source or heat sink (depending on mode of operation).
Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pump
Geothermal represents an endless, pollution-free source of heat, part of the natural cycle of the Earth with a remarkable asset; the energy used to operate the heat pump is less than the energy consumed by the system to heat the building. Current geothermal heat pump technology (3.3 to 5.0 COP) can cut heating costs by up to 80%. Click here for more information.
Environnement
Geothermal Heat Pump uses the energy generated by the sun, therefore produces near zero Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and barely increases energy consumption.
If one household out of ten installs a geothermal heat pump system, this could represent savings of 2.3 billion kWh, or at 7.7 cents per kWh, 177$ million for homeowners. This same energy could be sold to our neighbors, generating significant revenue and reducing our GHG emissions. During the air conditioning season, the geothermal heat pump reduces the greenhouse effect by removing heat from the air and sending it back to the ground.
Comfort
As in any standard heating and cooling system, geothermal heat pumps can provide a high level of comfort independent of outside conditions. However any heat pump, whether geothermal or not, transfers a large volume of hot air at a lower temperature than any combustion heater. This provides a high level of comfort and constant heat without fluctuations. Due to the absence of combustion, a geothermal heat pump does’t not produce contaminants so the indoor environment is less polluted.
More advantages of the Geothermal Heat Pump:
- No equipment outside to be vandalized
- No damage caused by exterior conditions such as ice or cold, as sensitive equipment is located indoors at a comfortable operating temperature.
The Quebec Geothermal History
The first geothermal heat pump systems used in Quebec date back to the 70s, applying technology originally imported from Scandinavia as open systems using groundwater. The development of this heating and air conditioning technique was very slow in our Province due to the extremely low cost of electricity, and because of the difficulty in reaching a water source of proper quality and quantity.
Electricity itself was the main competitor for Geothermal in Quebec. This cheap source of energy made the return on investment (even if it has one) hard to justify.
Those who sought the use of geothermal heat pumps were visionaries, since there was in fact an investment return that no other system could offer.
Today, with the rising price of energy costs and global environment awareness, the geothermal heat pump system stands out as one of the most appropriate systems for the environment.
In the early 2000s, Hydro-Quebec identified about five thousand systems installed, 80% being residential. Currently, this trend is changing, as many more commercial and industrial facilities are being installed.
Geothermal products
McQuay (Templifier)
McQuay (WSHP)
FHP
Rehau
Innovent
Multiaqua
Fantech
Tempeff
Mueller
Taco
Organizations involved in Geothermal
Hydro Québec
Hydro-Quebec website for information on available programs
Visit Hydro-Québec
Office of Energy Efficiency
Office of Energy Efficiency website
Visit the OEE
The Canadian Renewable Energy Network (CanREN)
The Canadian Renewable Energy Network (CanREN )
Visit the CanREN
The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC)
The CGC’s mandate is to establish a competitive and independent market for residential and commercial heating and cooling systems using geothermal energy in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) Canadian sector. In this changing market, consumers and business owners will be informed of the clean, renewable solution that is geothermal energy and will assist them on their decisions regarding heating and cooling investments.
Visit the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition
The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA)
Its mission is to promote the use of ground source heat pump technology worldwide through education and communication.
Visit the site IGSHPA
Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)
Aims to accelerate the design and construction of green buildings in Canada. The Council is an interdisciplinary, inclusive coalition of representatives from multiple sectors of the construction and design industry.
Visit the CaGBC
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The United States Green Building Council is committed to promote environmental friendly buildings that provide a profitable and healthy workplace.
Visit the site USGBC
Association québécoise de la maîtrise de l’énergie (AQME)
The Quebec Association for Energy Management is both a comprehensive information network and a broad pool of experts in energy efficiency.
Visit the AQME (French only)
ASHRAE
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers advances technology to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.
Visit the ASHRAE