Western Colorado Leads the Way in GeoExchange
The Western Slope region of Colorado has been at the forefront of geothermal heat pump installation for over 10 years and the movement towards green energy solutions has not lost momentum.
In 1997 the Delta-Montrose Electric Association began offering financing, economic incentives, education and installation packages for consumers who chose geothermal heat pump systems.
The Western Slope has been one of the best places in the state and across the country for implementing those systems, says Matt Sares with the Colorado Geological Survey. In terms of installing geoexchange systems, the Western Slope is ahead of the front range.
In 2006, The Village at County Creek, a retirement community, utilizes geoexchange systems to reduce heating and cooling bills 30%-70% which has become an extremely attractive selling feature.
Mesa State College in Grand Junction, CO has proved that geoexchange systems are functional for both resident and large building complex projects. Mesa State College uses geothermal heat pumps to heat and cool the student-housing complex, the new classroom building and new Student Center. The college has three loop fields to accommodate the buildings heating and cooling needs and plans to install a fourth field in order to retrofit older buildings.
The latest ground source heat pump project is expected to occur in Steamboat Springs at the Colorado Mountain College Alpine Campus. On Wednesday, June 9th officials unveiled a $20 million geoexhange project. The project will include a 45, 000 square foot facility powered by a geothermal heat pump system. In conjunction with the CMC project, the historic Bristol Hotel in downtown Steamboat Springs will also be retrofitted with an eco-friendly geothermal heat pump system.
The Western Slope region of Colorado may be leading the trend towards geoexchange systems by this technology is by no means limited to the western United States. Geothermal heat pumps are a wise investment in any state. Find out more about geothermal in your home state.
