It would be fair to say the geothermal industry is at a bit of a crossroads. Despite being around for more than 30 years, the math says it accounts for less than 1 percent of the HVAC market. And, for the first time since 2007, geothermal contractors are out in the market selling their residential products without a 30 percent tax credit.
The geothermal industry has a lot going on at the moment. Federal tax incentives, or lack thereof, currently dominate the discussion, but manufacturers are releasing new, intelligent geothermal products all the time.
Demand for air source heat pumps is forecast to increase 2.5 percent per year through 2021 to $2.1 billion. Air source heat pumps comprise a significant amount of total heat pump demand, largely due to the easier installation requirements and lower initial costs than geothermal heat pumps. Air source heat pumps also compete more directly with other HVAC equipment and are a viable heating and cooling option in most buildings.
The geothermal heat pump industry and several other clean energy technology industries are a step closer to saving thousands of jobs with the reintroduction of tax credit legislation by Reps. Tom Reed R-N.Y., Mike Thompson D-Calif., and 18 additional cosponsors (12 Republicans and 6 Democrats).
While organizations lobbied Congress for an extension like the ones given to photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal technologies, the U.S. House of Representatives chose not to extend the tax credits for the geothermal market.
Global sales of heat pumps is estimated to be valued at $6.5 billion by the end of 2016, witnessing a year-over-year growth of 5.8 percent over 2015, according to a new report from Future Market Insights.
The two-day event, which focused on helping dealers strengthen and grow their businesses, featured presentations on WaterFurnace products, marketing tools, training, financing, and more. Attendees also heard updates from the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) and the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) regarding the geothermal tax credits.