HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-20 Agenda and Supporting Documentation Town Council Afternoon Meeting1.Call to Order
2.Presentation/Discussion
2.1 Holy Cross Energy Journey to 100%45 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental
Sustainability and Dr. Bryan Hannegan, President and CEO of
Holy Cross Energy
Background: Holy Cross Energy is providing an update on
their ambitions to become 100% reliant on carbon-free power
by 2030, and carbon-neutral or better across the enterprise by
2035--without sacrificing affordability, safety, or reliability for
the sake of sustainability.
2.2 Vail Community Geothermal District Project Update 30 min.
Listen to presentation and ask questions.
Presenter(s): Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental
Sustainability and Cameron Millard, Energy Efficiency
Coordinator
Background: Staff have been investigating clean energy
alternatives to natural gas heating and have made significant
progress on developing a geothermal heating district concept
incorporating ground source and waste heat thermal sources.
2.3 West Vail Commercial Update 30 min.
Staff will present an overview of Chapter 2, run through each
of the three design scenarios, and ask for feedback from
Council during the presentation.
Presenter(s): Matt Gennett, Director of Community
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
Afternoon Session Agenda
Town Council Chambers and virtually by Zoom.
Zoom meeting link: https://vail.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Sm9GeJyMToaxyREiBPU1Sw
2:35 PM, February 20, 2024
Notes:
Times of items are approximate, subject to change, and cannot be relied upon to determine what time
Council will consider an item.
2024.02.20 Hannegan HCE Town of Vail.pptx
Memo to_ Town Council - Vail Community Geothermal Project Update.pdf
Presentation - Vail Community Geothermal District Project.pdf
HCE Letter of Support for Town of Vail Geothermal Thermal District.pdf
TOV CEO Grant Support ERWSD SR.pdf
Report - The Heat Beneath Our Feet.pdf
Vail CO Borehole and TC Test Report.pdf
Report - Ground source heat pumps Opportunities and challenges.pdf
1
Development
Background: The West Vail Master Plan, adopted by Council
in November 2021, includes three scenarios for the future the
redevelopment of the commercial area in West Vail. These
scenarios offer three realistic design models for developing
and enhancing West Vail Center.
2.4 Year End Investment Report 15 min.
Listen to presentation.
Presenter(s): Carlie Smith, Director of Finance
Background: Section 2-2-8 of the Town Code requires an
annual presentation of the town's investment report, which is
also provided as a written report each quarter. This agenda
item is a presentation of the town's investment report as of
December 31, 2023.
2.5 2024 CSE 2nd Cycle Special Event Sponsorship
Allocations
20 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): Jeremy Gross, Special Event Coordinator
Background: The 2nd cycle of event sponsorship review has
been completed by the CSE and staff and the sponsorship
recommendations are being presented to Council. The
presentation provides Town Council the opportunity to review
the proposed sponsorship amounts, ask questions, and begins
the call up period to further discuss or change allocations. The
call up period will expire at the March 19, 2024 meeting.
3.DRB/PEC (5 min.)
3.1 DRB/PEC Update
4.Information Update
4.1 January 8, 2024 AIPP Meeting Minutes
4.2 January 19, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes
4.3 January 23, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes
4.4 EHU Compliance Update
Council Memo WVMP Phase 2.pdf
West Vail.pdf
240220 2023 YE Investments.pdf
231231 Investment Report.pdf
Council Memo - 2024 2nd Cycle Special Event Sponsorship Allocations - 02-20-2024.pdf
DRB Results 2-7-24.pdf
PEC Results 2-12-24.pdf
January 8, 2024 Minutes.pdf
2024-01-19 VLHA Minutes.pdf
2024-01-23 VLHA Minutes.pdf
EHU Compliance Status Update Memo 02062024.pdf
2
4.5 2023 2nd Quarter Investment Report
4.6 2023 3rd Quarter Investment Report
5.Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports (20 min.)
5.1 Town Manager Report
5.2 Council Matters and Status Update
6.Executive Session (30 min.)
Executive Session pursuant to:
C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(a) to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of any
real, personal or other property interest, §24-6-402(4)(e) to determine positions relative to
matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations and instruct
negotiators and on the topic of potential real property sale and acquisitions by the Town.
7.Recess 5:50pm (estimate)
2023 Q2 Investment Report.pdf
2023 Q3 Investment Report.pdf
TM Update 021624.docx
240220 Matters.docx
2023 Town of Vail Social Media Year in Review FINAL (1).pdf
Meeting agendas and materials can be accessed prior to meeting day on the Town of Vail website
www.vailgov.com. All town council meetings will be streamed live by High Five Access Media and
available for public viewing as the meeting is happening. The meeting videos are also posted to High
Five Access Media website the week following meeting day, www.highfivemedia.org.
Please call 970-479-2136 for additional information. Sign language interpretation is available upon
request with 48 hour notification dial 711.
3
AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
TIME:45 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Kristen Bertuglia, Environmental Sustainability
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Holy Cross Energy Journey to 100%
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental Sustainability and Dr.
Bryan Hannegan, President and CEO of Holy Cross Energy
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2024.02.20 Hannegan HCE Town of Vail.pptx
4
Your community. Your co-op. Your choice.Your community. Your co-op. Your choice.
HCE’s Clean Energy Journey
(so far)
Bryan Hannegan, President and CEO
5
About Holy Cross Energy
275 MW
Peak
Demand
3,100 Miles
Distribution
Lines
120 Miles
Transmission
Lines
170
Employees
Founded in 1939, we serve more
than 46,000 members in scenic
Western Colorado with:
In 2023, 50% of our power supply
came from wind, solar, biomass and
hydroelectric power, as well as coal
mine methane recovery.
Holy Cross Energy (HCE) provides safe,
reliable, affordable and sustainable energy
and services that improve the quality of life
for our members and their communities.
2
6
Our Journey to 100% Clean Energy
Cleaner
Wholesale
Power
Local
Clean Energy
Resources
Distributed
Energy
Resources
Smart
Electrification
Continue our existing
agreements for energy
from local biomass,
hydro, and solar projects
Incorporate new,
clean, dispatchable
resources into HCE’s
power supply mix.
Support installation of
at least 4 MW per year
of new rooftop solar
systems.
Encourage the
expanded use of
electricity for
transportation, building
heating and cooling, and
industrial processes.
Energy
Efficiency
Obtain an additional
0.25% per year in
reduction of electric
sales from existing
uses.
These actions will allow HCE to achieve its vision of:
•Carbon-neutral or better across the enterprise by 2035
in a way that does not sacrifice affordability, safety, or reliability for the sake of sustainability.
•100% carbon-free power supply by 2030
3
7
Our Progress Thus Far
New Resources Developed
or Under Contract:
Eastern Colorado
•150 MW wind
•30 MW solar
HCE Service Area
•5 MW solar
•4.5 MW hydro
•4.5 MW/15 MWh
solar+storage
•10 MW/20 MWh
solar+storage
•10 MW/20 MWh
solar+storage
4
8
•Significant new forms of supply variability (and financial risk)
•In general:
•oversupply during midday solar production peaks
•oversupply during low demand overnight hours
•undersupply during peak demand hours (mornings and afternoons)
•Role of distribution utility becomes one of balancing
•flex demand to meet available supply (+ stored energy)
•opportunity for DERs
Implications of High Renewables
5
9
Clean Power Systems Need Flexibility
10
Flexible Demand Supports the Grid
Pre-cool/heat buildings
and charge EVs when
wind/solar plentiful
Allow building to
“ride through”
peak
Discharge
from batteries to
address PM solar
ramp
(incl. V2G)
Source: RMI
Distributed
Energy
Resources (DERs)
can provide
important
services to help
balance supply
and demand
6
11
Building Decarbonization is Key
Source: Building Decarbonization Network, 2024
12
Thermal Networks Fit a Future Need
When renewable electricity is in excess, use it to heat
up fluid in the thermal loop to provide energy services
When renewable electricity is short, use the thermal
network to reduce demand on the electricity supply
13
Join us on our Clean Energy Journey
For more information –
www.holycross.com
Follow us on X & Facebook
Bryan Hannegan
President and Chief Executive Officer
LinkedIn - bhannegan
14
AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.2
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
TIME:30 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Cameron Millard, Environmental Sustainability
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Vail Community Geothermal District Project Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and ask questions.
PRESENTER(S):Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental Sustainability and
Cameron Millard, Energy Efficiency Coordinator
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Memo to_ Town Council - Vail Community Geothermal Project Update.pdf
Presentation - Vail Community Geothermal District Project.pdf
HCE Letter of Support for Town of Vail Geothermal Thermal District.pdf
TOV CEO Grant Support ERWSD SR.pdf
Report - The Heat Beneath Our Feet.pdf
Vail CO Borehole and TC Test Report.pdf
Report - Ground source heat pumps Opportunities and challenges.pdf
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To: Town Council
From: Department of Environmental Sustainability
Date: February 20th, 2024
Subject: Geothermal Update
I. Purpose
The purpose of this memo is to update Vail Town Council regarding the potential for
geothermal technologies to increase efficiency and decarbonize municipal operations,
including snowmelt and buildings, in accordance with Vail’s environmental goals.
II. Background
Clean energy solutions are needed to help the Town of Vail meet its adopted goals of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. Reducing
emissions have been identified as goals in the following:
• 2009 Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan
• 2020 Update to the Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Communities
• 2021-2023 Town Council Action Plans
• 2023 Vail Stewardship Roadmap
Town of Vail Emissions
While the Town of Vail does purchase renewable electricity through participation in Holy
Cross Energy’s Pure Program, a majority of emissions from municipal operations come
from natural gas use, followed by transportation (Figure 1). Snowmelt accounts for
approximately 80% of the town’s natural gas use and is the highest source of emissions
attributable to town operations. With direction from Council, staff are investigating
options to reduce natural gas use for snow-melting and heating buildings. An electric
resistance snowmelt boiler was installed in 2022 which further reduced emissions,
however more efficient methods of heating that utilize geothermal energy with a
combination of “waste heat” (a by-product of combustion, or producing energy, that isn’t
used, and is simply released into the atmosphere ) would not only save the town money
in utility bills, but also could cut emissions by roughly 90%, and reduce impacts on
the ecosystem.
16
Town of Vail Page 2
Figure 1. Town of Vail Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Carbon Dioxide (CO2 Equivalent))
Geothermal Technology in Action
Geothermal technology is one such source of heating that can offer incredibly low -cost,
reliable, and clean energy. Geothermal energy is of particular interest to Colorado under
the leadership of Governor Polis and The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative. In a recent
report, Governor Polis says that geothermal energy is a “domestic energy source, has a
small surface footprint, close to zero carbon and other emissions, making it a clean and
sustainable energy resource, providing stability to the electric grid.”
Town of Vail staff visited an inspiring example of geothermal resources in use at
Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. The campus utilizes a geothermal system
called an Ambient Temperature Loop (ATL) to heat and cool 1.3 million square feet of
building space. By comparison, Vail’s overall snowmelt system is over 593,000, sq ft or
13.5 acres, or 12 football fields. Of that, over 350,000 sq ft is town-operated. Critical to
this system is the use of waste heat to augment the geothermal resource. Similar
technology has already saved the university tens of millions of dollars compared to
conventional heating systems. The New York Times detailed efforts around the country
to convert campus heat plants to geothermal, including Princeton University (To Slash
Carbon, Colleges are Digging Really Deep). Regionally, Eagle, Pitkin and Routt
Counties, and the Town of Carbondale are at various stages of implementing
geothermal technology for heating and potentially for snow-melting.
Geothermal Potential in Vail
To determine the viability of clean energy technology in Vail, the town has contracted
with The Grey Edge Group (TGEG), a group of internationally recognized geothermal
experts. The Grey Edge Group found that the energy demand for snowmelt is a good fit
with the heating and storage capacity of the geothermal and waste-heat resources
available in Vail. TGEG determined that the town’s snowmelt system could reduce
17
Town of Vail Page 3
emissions by 90% with a geothermal system built to match 50% of the demand. The
rest of the load could be handled with electricity from clean energy sources.
Additionally, the team identified a number of potential waste heat collection sites that
could be used to enhance a potential geothermal exchange system. Most interestingly,
the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District (ERWSD) treatment plant has a great deal
of waste heat and a regulatory imperative to lower the temperature of treated
wastewater. Siri Roman, the General Manager at ERWSD, has offered support for a
project that could utilize waste heat from the treatment plant. The Town of Vail of course
shares a great interest in maintaining low temperatures in Gore Creek, as each summer
gets hotter, aquatic life in the Creek is threatened, and could hinder the town’s efforts to
be removed from the State of Colorado’s 303(d) li st of impaired waterways.
Table 1 shows the potential of geothermal to be nearly as cost-effective as the most
inexpensive natural gas. The operating cost of a geothermal heat pump (HP) is
expected to be $4.14 per 1 million BTUs of output, compared to natural gas at $4.12 per
1 million BTUs. The geothermal option would be 100% emissions free and hedge
against price volatility with natural gas. For illustrative purposes, the Town of Vail’s
portion of the snowmelt system uses the equivalent of over 29 million kwh, and costs as
much as $750,000 annually. If the town were to build renewable energy capacity to
cover the snowmelt’s load it would need over 70 acres of solar panels.
To further understand the scope of such a system, the town contracted with TGEG
again for a more in-depth feasibility study of the geohydrology of the town to better
quantify the geothermal potential.
In late November of 2023, a 520-foot borehole was drilled in Ford Park. The purpose of
the test borehole was to note variations in geology and drilling conditions as well as to
collect deep earth temperature and thermal conductivity data. The engineering team
presented a report – Vail CO Borehole and TC Test Report – which indicated that the
site is exceptionally well-suited for a ground source heat exchange system. A recent
article in the Vail Daily described the project in more detail (Is Geothermal Energy a
Viable Option to Decarbonize Vail’s Snowmelt System?).
In order to accurately design and cost a networked geothermal system, the consulting
team has recommended a commissioning of the current operation of the snowmelt
system to make it more efficient and “right-size” it for the design of a clean energy
system.
18
Town of Vail Page 4
Federal, State, and Regional Interest in Geothermal Technologies
Broad interest and incentives for advancing geothermal projects exist on the federal
level through Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Department of Energy, on the state
level through the Colorado Energy Office and Governor’s Office, and locally through
Holy Cross Energy, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, and communities in
the Mountain West. On February 14th, 2024, given the momentum with several projects
underway, HCE hosted a regional meeting to discuss commons goals and interest in
geothermal districts among communities and geothermal technical experts. HCE
President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bryan Hannegan described geothermal as a
key technology for getting more renewable energy onto the grid as it provides flexible
demand on electrical energy systems. In essence, a geothermal system can function as
a giant battery in which to store energy, which greatly reduces peak demand and
challenges with over-supply of renewables when they’re not needed, which will be
critical as Holy Cross approaches 80-90% renewable energy on the grid within the year.
III. Next Steps
The next steps to develop a project include:
1. Initial Scoping
a. Baseload analysis (system load profile)
b. Characterize system and identify potential opportunities
2. Geological Studies and Analysis
a. Drilling test borehole
b. Thermal Conductivity Test
c. Hydro-geological resource survey
3. Retro-Commissioning and Verification
a. Study snowmelt existing operations and optimize operations
b. Verify system performance
4. Engineering and Design
a. Analysis of thermal sources (waste heat from chillers, wastewater
treatment plant, snowmaking, ice rinks, solar thermal/PV, etc.)
b. Civil and legal, technical analysis (physical infrastructure/special
districting)
c. Preliminary loop design
5. Cost and Financial Analysis
a. Federal, State and utility incentives and partnerships/financing
opportunities
b. Operational, maintenance, and utility costs
6. Define project size and develop construction documents
7. Form Geothermal District partnership agreements
8. Implement Phased construction process (drilling, piping, etc.)
Staff have applied for a grant with the Colorado Energy Office to assess the feasibility
and produce detailed engineering designs for a geothermal system utilizing waste heat
from the wastewater treatment plant. A decision on grant awards is pending until early
March.
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Town of Vail Page 5
IV. Attachments
A. Letter of Support - HCE
B. Letter of Support - ERWSD
C. Report – The Heat Beneath Our Feet
D. Report - Vail CO Borehole and TC Test Report
E. Report – Geothermal Heat Pumps: Challenges and Opportunities
F. Presentation – Vail Community Geothermal District Project
20
Vail Geothermal
Update
Town Council
February 20th, 2024
21
Town of Vail Environmental Goals
Town of
Vail |TR vailgov.com
Reducing natural gas from snowmelt is top priority goal in:
•2009 Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan
•2020 Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community
•Vail’s Stewardship Roadmap
•The Town Council Action plan 2021-2023
22
Town of Vail Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com 23
Vail’s Snowmelt System
At 593,814 sq ft (13.5 acres), Vail’s snowmelt system is one of the largest in the world, and second only Holland
MI in community snowmelt 24
Town of Vail Natural Gas and GHG Emissions
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
Snowmelt = 80% of the
town’s natural gas use and
GHG emissions
25
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
Geothermal systems include:
1. An underground heat collector
made of buried loops
2. A heat pump to concentrate heat
3. A heat distribution system
26
Geothermal Districts
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
Geothermal heat
pumps can meet
an entire
community’s
heating/cooling
needs on
a single network
27
Colorado Mesa University
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
CMU Geo Exchange - an
Ambient Temperature
Loop (ATL) heats and cool
1.3 million sq ft of
building space
28
CMU Annual Utilities Comparison
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
$1.5 million annual utility
savings at CMU compared
to conventional HVAC
29
Geothermal Projects in Colorado
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
•Eagle, Pitkin, & Routt
Counties, Carbondale &
Steamboat in various stages of
implementing geo-exchanges
•Strong support at state level,
Governor Polis promoting the
technology
30
How a Geothermal District Could Work in Vail
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com 31
Waste Water Heat Opportunity
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
A geothermal district in the Town of
Vail is an excellent way to help solve
two problems at once: provide a
method of sustainably heating
pedestrian areas, as well as using
excess heat from the wastewater
effluent. The proposed project has the
potential to reduce emissions that
would have been produced in two
locations (to heat the community area
and cool the effluent).
-Siri Roman, GM, ERWSD
32
Geothermal District Development Process
Initial
Scoping
Form
Geothermal
District
Partnership
Agreements
Implement
Phased
Construction
Process
(drilling,
piping, etc.)
Scoping/
Construction
docs
Costing &
Financial
Analysis
Engineering
& Design
Retro-
Commission
ing and
Verification
Geological
Studies and
Analysis
Phase I Phase 2 Phase 3
Jun
e
2023
July Aug Sep
t Oct Nov JanDec
Jun
eMar
2024 2025
Apr
i
l
MayFeb
July Aug Sep
t Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar
Apr
i
l May
Jun
e July Aug Sep
t
Oct Nov Dec Jan
2026/
27-28
33
Thermal Conductivity Test Results
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
Very strong potential in
the local geology exists
for geothermal energy
and storage. Vail has 2x
the resource of other
regional projects.
34
Thermal Conductivity Test Results
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
“The results are conclusive
based on the available data and
site location. This is an excellent
area for a GHEX. Given the
mountain valley location, the
surface water level is likely very
reliable and thus the results
dependable for GHEX use.
Richard A. Clemenzi, PE, CGD
35
Geothermal and Electric Supply
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
Geothermal systems can ease peak
wintertime demand as heating
loads become electrified because
they can store thermal energy
available on demand as required by
snowmelt, without excessive draw
on the electric grid.
36
Holy Cross Energy
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
HCE supports the Town of Vail’s Civic Area Geothermal District Project as it will
demonstrate the feasibility of replacing the use of natural gas for heating with
clean electricity in a manner that is safe, affordable, and reliable. The
proposed thermal energy district will also provide HCE with a flexible, large
electric load that can be managed in response to the variability of available
electricity supply, enabling greater integration of variable renewable energy
resources in furtherance of HCE’s carbon-free electricity goals.
-Bryan Hannegan, CEO of Holy Cross Energy
37
Colorado Geothermal Energy Grant
Town of Vail |TR vailgov.com
If awarded, the grant will allocate resources towards proving constructability,
determine costs and support technical requirements for Phase 2:
•Engineering and Design
•Costing and Financial Analysis including IRA implications
•Scoping and Construction Documents
Decision early March, 2024
38
970.947.5479 • holycross.com
3799 Highway 82 • PO Box 2150 • Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
January 18, 2024
The Honorable Will Toor
Executive Director
Colorado Energy Office
1600 Broadway, Suite 1960
Denver, CO 80202
RE: Support for the Town of Vail’s Civic Area Geothermal District Project GEGP Proposal
Dear Mr. Toor,
I write to express my strong support for Town of Vail’s proposal to the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) Geothermal
Energy Grant Program (GEGP) to complete a Phase 2 Design Study and partial design of a Civic Area Geothermal
District Project involving the Town’s snowmelt operations, the Dobson ice arena, the Vail Public Library, and the
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District wastewater treatment plant, with potential expansion in the future to
the Civic Area redevelopment and to private buildings and hotels.
Holy Cross Energy (HCE) is a member-owned rural electric cooperative serving over 46,000 customers in
Western Colorado. As you know, HCE serves a mountainous area that is prone to winter storms and wildfires,
making resilience of electric service a primary concern for the tourism-based communities we serve. In addition,
the communities HCE serves have ambitious clean energy goals with an emphasis on local project development.
In 2024, HCE expects to provide electricity supply that is more than 75% carbon-free, well on the way to its goal
of providing 100% carbon-free electricity to its members and communities by 2030.
HCE supports the Town of Vail’s Civic Area Geothermal District Project as it will demonstrate the feasibility of
replacing the use of natural gas for heating with clean electricity in a manner that is safe, affordable, and
reliable. The proposed thermal energy district will also provide HCE with a flexible, large electric load that can be
managed in response to the variability of available electricity supply, enabling greater integration of variable
renewable energy resources in furtherance of HCE’s carbon-free electricity goals. HCE anticipates being directly
involved with the Project through the investment of staff labor and in-kind resources. as this project will be
critical to informing HCE’s investment decisions going forward.
HCE encourages you to give this proposal your utmost consideration. Should you wish to discuss this further,
please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.
Sincerely,
Bryan Hannegan
President and CEO
39
Jan. 17, 2024
Colorado Energy Office
Re: Town of Vail - Geothermal Energy Grant Program
To Whom it May Concern:
Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (District) is pleased to write a letter of support for the Town of
Vail’s (TOV) grant application to the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) for the Civic Area Geothermal District
project. The proposed project will explore the feasibility of using excess heat from wastewater, combined
with geothermal, to sustainably melt snow in high traffic pedestrian areas. This project aligns perfectly
with the Colorado Energy Office’s Geothermal Energy Grant Program guidelines as it will significantly
reduce the town’s reliance on natural gas and furthers the town’s sustainability goals.
The impacts of a warming climate including reduced snowpack, earlier runoff, and longer and hotter
summers are impacting both water supply and instream water temperatures. The District, and other
wastewater dischargers, are being asked to cool wastewater effluent for a few weeks out of the year, in
an effort to slow the overall rise in creek/river temperatures. Significant research shows that cooling the
effluent will not impact instream temperatures during the summer and fall, will cost customers tens of
millions of dollars, and will drastically increase the environmental footprint of our operations. A more
logical approach is to reduce water use, restore riparian habitats, strategically plant trees for shading, and
explore mutually beneficial projects such as the proposed project.
A geothermal district in the TOV is an excellent way to help solve two problems at once: provide a
method of sustainably heating pedestrian areas, as well as using excess heat from the wastewater
effluent. The proposed project has the potential to reduce emissions that would have been produced in
two locations (to heat the community area and cool the effluent).
The TOV and the District have a long history of collaboration, including improving instream water quality,
restoring riparian habitat, reducing water use, improving infrastructure, and developing workforce
housing. This project serves as another example of our sustainable collaboration.
In conclusion, the District fully supports the TOV in their efforts to obtain Colorado Energy Office funding
for the Civic Area Geothermal District project. We believe this project is an excellent opportunity to help
achieve two important goals: provide a sustainable geothermal heating source for the community and
potentially reduce in-stream temperatures of Gore Creek, a vital source of domestic water supply for the
TOV. Protecting the health of our watershed is critical to the District’s mission and operations and we are
excited to collaborate on this project.
Sincerely,
Siri Roman
General Manager, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
40
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 1
The Heat
Beneath Our Feet
The Initiative of Colorado Governor Jared Polis
41
2 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
When I was elected as Chair of Western Governors’ Association by my
colleagues, I knew that I wanted to choose an initiative with the potential
to improve the lives of all Westerners. That is why I worked with Western
Governors’ Association to launch the Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative, which
is taking a bold and bipartisan approach to advance the development and
deployment of geothermal energy. Jump-starting the adoption of geothermal
energy technologies can create new opportunities to boost local economies;
provide low-cost, reliable power, heating, and cooling to communities; and
assist in meeting our renewable energy and energy security goals.
As we move towards true energy independence, the environmental benefits
of geothermal energy generation can help position the West for further economic, environmental, and
quality of life success. While eliminating almost all emissions compared to traditional energy sources,
geothermal resources do not sacrifice reliability and can generate much needed baseload power.
The West is uniquely situated to take advantage of this energy source. While the United States accounts
for 25 percent of the world’s installed geothermal energy capacity, western states contain fully 95
percent of that capacity. Geothermal energy holds the potential to create jobs and provide reliable,
low-cost domestic and secure energy. Consumers also benefit from direct applications of geothermal
energy. Geothermal heat pumps are estimated to use 25 to 50 percent less energy than conventional
heating or cooling systems, saving people money.
The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative evaluated strategies to scale geothermal technologies across the
West. Factors such as available geothermal resources, differing energy policy landscapes, workforce
maturity, and emerging technologies were taken into account when compiling this report. The
recommendations contained within this report were generated through a rigorous stakeholder process
and vetted by subject matter experts over the course of the initiative.
In true western fashion, businesses have embraced the entrepreneurial spirit and are growing the
geothermal sector into a robust economic generator. Colorado is joined by other western states in
working to ensure that these companies have our support on the front lines of geothermal innovation.
I would like to extend my gratitude to all our state, academic, industry, and federal partners, including
the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as to our initiative sponsors who contributed their time and
expertise to this initiative’s workshops, webinars, and podcasts. I look forward to continuing to work
with them to advance the development and deployment of geothermal energy to successfully tap the
heat beneath our feet.
Sincerely,
Jared Polis
Governor of Colorado
WGA Chair
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2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 3
Greetings Friends of the West,
Very few know what it takes to provide reliable and affordable energy to
millions of people, but you can be certain to count Western Governors among
them. The West has long been a leader in American energy production and
leads the nation in the new frontiers of clean renewable energy development.
It is no surprise that Western Governors are at the forefront again, this time
with geothermal.
Beginning in July of 2022, WGA Chair and Governor of Colorado Jared Polis
launched his Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative aimed at exploring opportunities
to accelerate the development of geothermal resources. As a result, WGA
convened stakeholders from public, private, and non-profit organizations to drill down to the issues
holding back the expansion of geothermal energy in the West.
We are grateful to those who participated in our series of work sessions, webinars, and podcasts held
throughout the year. Their enthusiasm was matched by the support of Governors who hosted initiative
tours and work sessions, including former Governor David Ige of Hawaii, Governor Brad Little of Idaho,
Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, and Governor Polis.
As geothermal is having a moment on the national stage, attracting the attention of policymakers at
all levels of government, this report can be used by any stakeholder interested in learning about the
potential of geothermal energy in the West and how its development can be supported. If the level of
engagement from members of the geothermal community is any indication, this resource has a bright
future.
If you have followed WGA’s previous chair initiatives, you know they provide a rare venue for pragmatic,
bipartisan policy discussions that lead to meaningful solutions. The effectiveness of past initiatives
is evidenced by the support we received from Governors throughout the West to complete the work
needed for this final report. It is also a testament to my predecessor, Jim Ogsbury, who saw nine Chair
initiatives across the the finish line over the past ten years and set us up for success on Heat Beneath
Our Feet.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Governor Polis for his leadership as WGA Chair over this past year
– WGA would not exist without Governors, year after year, taking up the mantle to lead our organization.
Further, the support we received from our sponsor community and stakeholders for this endeavor was
immense and appreciated beyond measure. Our work on this initiative would not have been possible
without them.
Sincerely,
Jack Waldorf
Executive Director
Western Governors’ Association
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4 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Chair of the Western Governors’
Association (WGA), launched The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative
in 2022 to examine opportunities for and barriers to the accelerated
development and deployment of geothermal energy technologies.
The potential of geothermal energy in the West is vast, and offers
significant advantages and benefits in efforts to expand the portfolio
of renewable energy resources. Advances in technology and increased
interest in developing domestic sources of low-cost, reliable, clean
energy have brought greater attention to the energy potential of the
heat beneath our feet.
44
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 5
reduce uncertainty in geothermal
exploration, exploring models to
help developers secure financing
for exploratory drilling and mitigate
drilling risk, and extending existing
tax incentives for the oil and gas
industry to include geothermal
development.
• Optimize permitting and improve
regulatory certainty: Permitting
timelines can also be prohibitive
for geothermal development.
Lengthy delays can be mitigated by
providing tools and resources to help
stakeholders navigate the geothermal
development process, increasing
agency capacity for leasing and
permitting, developing streamlined
processes and categorical exclusions
for geothermal leasing on par with
other energy categories, expanding
oil and gas exploration regulatory
efficiencies to geothermal
development, and collaborating with
tribes and communities prior to and
during project development.
• Expand funding opportunities: U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) funding
for demonstration projects and the
Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO)
should be increased. Investment
in energy transition communities
should be encouraged.
• Implement incentives for consumer
adoption: Expedite the deployment
of tax incentives, rebates, and
end-user applications to spur the
adoption of geothermal heating and
cooling.
• Develop workforce and contractor
ecosystem: Geothermal energy
can generate good jobs and create
opportunities for workers and
communities affected by the energy
transition. Workforce development
in the geothermal industry should
be supported, including through
the development of training and
certification programs.
• Increase awareness and education
to develop geothermal markets:
Develop guidance for policymakers,
regulators, and utilities to better
promote geothermal energy.
The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative
report is a resource for policymakers
and stakeholders. Initiative
recommendations can assist in
accelerating the development and
deployment of geothermal technologies,
which can play a significant role in
meeting the West’s energy needs for a
clean and sustainable future.
The initiative examined the various
market, technology, and policy
factors that affect the development
of geothermal resources. Through a
rigorous stakeholder process that
included four workshops, six tours, a
public survey, and a webinar series,
the Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative
generated recommendations for
increasing the development and
deployment of geothermal energy in
the West, including:
• Improve resource assessment and
data collection: Increasing federal
funding for resource assessments,
coordinating efforts to target
areas with the greatest potential,
improving the federal repository
of data relevant to geothermal
development, and leveraging data
from the oil and gas industry, as
well as new technology, will increase
our understanding of subsurface
resources and foster additional
geothermal development.
• Mitigate risk in drilling and
exploration: Risk and uncertainty
contribute to relatively high up-front
costs for geothermal development.
Those costs can be abated by
continuing federal investment to
Beneath Boise’s City Hall lies an intricate network of pipes that act as a heat exchanger for the city’s geothermal district heating systems. Idaho
workshop participants toured the mechanical room at City Hall to view the infrastructure.
45
6 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Background
Geothermal energy is a valuable
but remarkably untapped resource
in the West. The heat stored within
the Earth can support a wide
spectrum of end uses, including
reliable, domestic, and renewable
electricity generation for the grid,
renewable building heating and
cooling, underground thermal
energy storage, and other direct
use applications for agriculture,
recreation, and industry. Advances
in technology and increased interest
in developing domestic sources of
reliable, clean energy have brought
greater attention to the underutilized
potential of this ubiquitous energy
resource.
Western states pioneered the
development of geothermal
technology and contain the vast
majority of working geothermal
resources in the United States. In
the 1890s, Boise, Idaho, established
the nation’s first geothermal heating
district, providing heat to residential
and commercial buildings. Today,
Boise’s geothermal heating district,
including the original Warm Springs
Water District, is the largest in the
nation, heating over six million
square feet – including the Idaho
State Capitol. The West pioneered
the use of geothermal energy to
generate electricity, too. The first
geothermal electrical generation
unit in the western hemisphere was
constructed in California in 1960.
The Geysers geothermal field is now
the largest in the world, with a net
generation capacity of more than 800
megawatts of electricity.1
Responsible development of
geothermal power can address
several critical needs for future U.S.
energy demands. It is a domestic
energy source, has a small surface
footprint, and produces close to
zero carbon and other air emissions,
making it a clean and sustainable
energy resource. Additionally,
geothermal resources are always
available, providing stability to the
electric grid.
Passive geothermal energy can also
address one of the biggest categories
of energy use: building heating and
cooling. Heating and cooling are the
largest annual uses of electricity in
the residential sector, accounting for
more than 40 percent of an average
home’s electricity use.4 Currently,
natural gas is the primary heating
fuel in much of the West. While
natural gas prices can fluctuate
based on market conditions,
global events, and weather, the
Geothermal Energy 101
Geothermal energy is the thermal energy generated from natural
geological processes and radioactive material decaying in the Earth’s
crust. In general, the temperature increases at an average background
thermal gradient around 86 degrees Fahrenheit per kilometer (though
portions of the West exhibit a higher-than-average geothermal
gradient). The range of temperatures of geothermal resources can be
harnessed for different purposes.
At relatively shallow depths - a couple of feet to a couple hundred
feet - subsurface temperatures are stable year-round and are typically
similar to room temperature and can be used for heating in winter and
cooling in summer. Deeper wells extending thousands of feet below
the surface can intersect natural or enhanced geothermal reservoirs
with much hotter temperatures to support electricity generation.
Grid Stability Through Dispatchable Energy
Geothermal electricity generation
provides consistent, reliable power.
Geothermal power plants can have
a capacity factor of 90 percent or
higher, meaning that they operate
at their maximum output level 90
percent of the time.2
Geothermal power can also
be dispatchable, meaning
that electricity production
can vary (ramp up or down) as
needed. Dispatchable energy
is an important complement to
renewable resources that have
more variable generation. As the
West continues to decarbonize
energy systems with variable
sources of renewable power such
as wind and solar, geothermal can
balance these sources and ensure
reliability in the system.
Compared to more traditional
dispatchable energy sources like
natural gas, the environmental
impacts (e.g., land use footprint,
greenhouse gas emissions, and air
pollutants) of modern geothermal
power plants are negligible. The
surface footprint per GWh of
electricity is smaller than coal,
solar, or wind.3
46
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 7
costs of heating and cooling with
geothermal are far more consistent.
By harnessing the steady temperature
of the Earth, geothermal systems can
displace most of the energy needed
to heat and cool buildings.
Opportunities to utilize passive
geothermal energy for heating and
cooling, electricity generation, and
certain industrial, recreational, and
agricultural applications have vastly
expanded since the development of
the early examples noted above. Yet
despite the many benefits geothermal
energy offers, it still accounts for only
0.4 percent of electrical generation in
the United States and is not yet widely
utilized at scale for heating and
cooling applications.5 Advancements
in subsurface technologies from the
oil and gas industry over the last
two decades are improving the
feasibility of geothermal systems.
Expertise, efficiency, and safety
practices in horizontal drilling
and hydraulic fracturing have
opened new possibilities for where
geothermal developments can be
located.
Geothermal is attracting the
attention of policymakers at all
levels of government.6 Since WGA
began work on this initiative,
Congress has passed significant
tax incentives for geothermal
projects, DOE has committed
hundreds of millions of dollars
through the Energy Earthshots
Initiative to research and develop
geothermal energy, and states
have begun to implement their own
geothermal policies.
In 2019, DOE published
GeoVision, an in-depth technical
analysis detailing the vast
potential for geothermal
energy development in the
United States. A comprehensive
report on the current status
of geothermal deployment
is provided in the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL) publication, 2021 U.S.
Geothermal Power Production
and District Heating Market
Report.7 The initiative toured
geothermal sites in four states
- Colorado, Utah, Hawaii, and
Idaho - but geothermal energy
is utilized throughout the
West; examples of geothermal
development in every western
state and territory are included
in the case studies section.
Preparing for drilling at the Puna Geothermal Venture, operated by Ormat Technologies Inc. The exploration and drilling phases often
bring the highest risk for failure and the most cost to geothermal development.
47
8 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Geothermal Potential in the West
“This map depicts the potential for development of hydrothermal and EGS systems in
the United States as of 2018. Further analyses, including the DOE’s 2019 GeoVision report
and NREL’s 2023 Enhanced Geothermal Shot Analysis, modeled the associated potential
electricity capacity. The 2023 analysis concluded that the United States potentially has
90.5 gigawatts of electricity capacity that could be deployed by 2050, mostly in the West,
including over 80 gigawatts from enhanced geothermal system deployment after 2030.
This is more capacity than the entire U.S. nuclear fleet in 2021.
Figure courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Geothermal energy can be used for a
range of applications depending on the
temperature and characteristics of the
resource. Technological advancements
are continually expanding the bounds
of where and how geothermal energy
can be harnessed cost effectively.
Generally, high temperatures are
needed to generate electricity, while
lower temperatures can be utilized for
industrial processes (e.g., agriculture) or
building heating and cooling.
Electricity Generation
Geothermal power plants utilize
conventional hydrothermal reservoirs
as well as emerging enhanced
geothermal system reservoirs to
produce geothermal fluids for power
generation across a few differing
power plant configurations (e.g., dry
steam, flash, binary cycle). Produced
fluids are reinjected to the subsurface
reservoir after heat has been extracted.
Additionally, modular binary power
plant units, which use a heat exchanger
with a working fluid with a lower boiling
point, are an emerging technology
area for coproduction from oil and gas
wells. A comprehensive description of
geothermal technologies and power
plant configurations is available in the
DOE GeoVision report.
Most geothermal power plants in use
today utilize conventional hydrothermal
resources, which are sources of naturally
occurring hot water found at variable
depths in the subsurface. Hydrothermal
resources require a heat source, a
fluid source (usually deeply circulating
groundwater), and permeable pathways
in Earth’s crust allowing for fluid
circulation (open faults, open fractures,
and/or interconnected pore spaces
in rocks). Hydrothermal resources are
primarily found in western states, where
geologic conditions cause naturally
elevated heat flow and permeable
pathways.
You may have experienced hydrothermal
yourself: hot springs and geysers
are expressions of underground
hydrothermal systems and can aid
in their identification, but many
hydrothermal resources have no
surface expression and are therefore
more challenging to identify. These
“hidden” systems hold significant
potential in the West: The United
States Geological Survey (USGS)
estimates that the United States holds
23,038 megawatts of electricity of
undiscovered hydrothermal resources
compared to 5,128 megawatts of
electricity already discovered.8 Hidden
hydrothermal systems are sometimes
inadvertently discovered through
mining exploration.
When a hydrothermal system is
discovered, it must be characterized,
usually by drilling test wells, to
determine if enough heat, water,
and permeability are present to
produce cost-effective electricity. The
investment necessary to characterize a
system and deem it a viable resource
can carry significant risk. As a result,
an average of only 13.6 wells were
drilled per year from 2015 through
2019.9
In locations throughout the West,
there is sufficient subsurface heat,
but water and permeability are
often lacking. Enhanced geothermal
systems (EGS) use advancements
from the oil and gas industry, such
as directional drilling and hydraulic
fracturing, to engineer the necessary
subsurface reservoirs to create
permeability. This, combined with
advancements in drilling technology,
now allow for geothermal developers
to potentially access resources
beyond conventional hydrothermal
systems, increasing the availability
and locations of geothermal
electricity resources.
To create EGS projects, a production-
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2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 9
injection well is drilled into hot, dry
rock with limited permeability and
fluid content. Water is injected at high
pressure to create or improve fractures
within the rock to create a reservoir,
then a second production well is drilled
to intersect the fracture system and
extract the heat from the rock mass.
Additional production wells may then
be drilled to meet power generation
requirements.
EGS is not yet cost-competitive and
technical challenges remain,10 but the
DOE Energy Earthshots Initiative has
set a goal of reducing the cost of EGS
to $45 MWh by 2035, in the same range
as onshore wind today.11 Research and
development are underway to advance
the commercial viability of EGS, most
notably at the DOE-funded Frontier
Observatory for Research in Geothermal
Energy (FORGE) in Milford, Utah. This is
complemented by other investments
into research and development by
DOE, such as the Geothermal Limitless
Approach to Drilling Efficiencies (GLADE)
project in Colorado. GLADE is exploring
drilling deeper and faster by using
existing and novel drilling technologies
to reduce the cost of developing
geothermal wells.
Additional advancements in technology
could further broaden the utilization
of geothermal energy. Closed-loop
geothermal systems extract heat
through sealed wells which recirculate
the geothermal fluid, eliminating
the loss of fluid to the surrounding
formation. While this type of system
is not yet commercial, closed-loop
systems have significant potential and,
if successful, advantages over other
technologies since the type of fluid
could potentially be changed from
water to a more efficient heat transfer
medium, such as supercritical carbon
dioxide. Additionally, closed-loop
systems may reduce environmental
impacts and risk since fluid is not
injected into underground reservoirs.
Co-production and conversion of
oil and gas wells are also areas of
potential growth. In co-production,
hot water produced by oil and gas
extraction is used to generate electricity.
Converting orphaned oil and gas wells
to geothermal production is also
possible. Given the rising trend of the
electrification of drilling rigs in the oil
and gas industry, many wells are also
co-located with transmission.
The intersection of oil and gas
electrification with the potential for
end-of-life conversion to geothermal
electricity is an important consideration
when weighing if and when to cap wells
at end of life.
Heating and Cooling
Geothermal heating and cooling
applications leverage the shallow
subsurface as a heat source and sink,
using a variety of system configurations
for space conditioning of buildings.
These configurations include direct
use of geothermal fluid extracted
from a subsurface reservoir, closed-
loop vertical borehole field ground
heat exchanger, standing column
wells, surface water ground loops, and
horizontal slinky systems, among others.
Heating and cooling applications
of geothermal energy utilize much
lower temperatures than electricity
generation. These technologies rely
on either the constant temperatures
in Earth’s crust for heat exchange
(geo-exchange, or heating/cooling via
geothermal heat pumps), or shallow
subsurface geothermal heat for direct
use. Direct use applications use hot
water from a hydrothermal resource
piped to a building, greenhouse, or
industrial facility.
Heat pumps use electricity to move heat
from one area to another and have been
used for over a century. Geothermal
heat pumps, also called ground source
heat pumps (GSHP) harness the steady
temperature of the Earth at depths
as shallow as 10 feet, which is warm
relative to the air in winter and cool
relative to the air in summer. GSHPs
save the average homeowner money by
using 25-50 percent less electricity than
a conventional heating system, as they
are able to move more heat than the
direct electricity input.12
Direct use can be scaled up to serve
Heating Efficiency
Heat pump technology is more
efficient than traditional heating
systems because it uses the
existing heat in the ground or
air, saving consumers money and
helping reduce carbon footprint.
An air-source heat pump uses
the ambient temperature of the
outside air to provide heating
or cooling to a building. A GSHP
takes advantage of the constant
underground temperatures (about
55 degrees Fahrenheit), allowing
it to run efficiently year-round
regardless of weather conditions.
This high level of efficiency can
help balance utility electric grid
capacity as buildings electrify
their heating and cooling, with
some research showing even
higher efficiency gains for
networked geothermal systems
or thermal energy networks.
For example, electric resistance
heating produces approximately
one unit of heat per one unit
of electricity, while GSHPs may
produce (i.e., move) three or
four units of heat for each input
of electricity. While direct use
requires a hydrothermal or EGS
resource, GSHPs can be utilized
anywhere with the installation of
a ground heat exchanger.
multiple buildings in a district or
community in what is called a district
heating system. The largest and oldest
heating district in the country is
located in Boise, Idaho, and has been
operational since 1893. Geothermal
water is pumped from a well in the
Boise Foothills and runs downtown
through a pipe system to retain water
heat. Water is then pumped through a
heat exchanger that cools the effluent
and the energy is used to heat buildings.
There are 23 active geothermal heating
districts in the U.S., all of which are
located in western states.
GSHP technology can be used to heat
and cool buildings of any size or across
49
10 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
multiple buildings on a distribution
network in what is called a geo-
exchange system. A networked series
of pipes circulate a working fluid to
absorb or release heat, using a ground
loop as a renewable heat source in the
winter and a heat sink in the summer.
These systems are highly efficient and
can provide significant cost savings,
making it a compelling option for
universities, campuses, and large
buildings like stadiums. After converting
its campus to a geothermal heating and
cooling system in 2008, Colorado Mesa
University in Grand Junction, Colorado,
reported an annual savings of over $1.5
million. In 2022, those savings went
directly toward reducing student tuition
by two percent.
To achieve an even larger scale, heat
pumps can be integrated into thermal
energy networks, which are utility-scale
infrastructure projects that connect
multiple buildings, neighborhoods,
or subdevelopments into a shared
network with sources of thermal
energy. Rather than each building
needing its own borehole, multiple
buildings in a network can share the
same thermal sources. Thermal energy
networks can allow utilities to manage
and operate geothermal systems for
heating and cooling.
Additional Applications
of Geothermal Energy
Geologic Thermal Energy Storage:
Underground rock formations can be
used to store energy over long periods.
Excess energy can be captured and
stored underground as thermal energy
and then recovered and utilized when
needed. This storage method can
complement energy resources with
higher variability to store for peak
demand.
Hydrogen Production: Utilizing
geothermal electricity production to
power electrolysis of water to produce
hydrogen createss “green hydrogen,” a
renewable, clean fuel source with little
to no carbon footprint at the point of
production. Operating electrolyzers
powered with geothermal energy
consistently can reduce the cost of
hydrogen production on a per unit basis.
While other renewable energy sources
such as wind or solar have variable
production, colocation of geothermal
electricity with hydrogen production
could lower production costs and
eliminate the need to build transmission
to connect electrolyzers to the grid or
distributed energy sources.
Mineral Extraction: Geothermal brines
can contain a variety of dissolved
minerals and salts, such as lithium.
Lithium extraction from geothermal
brines is an active area of research,
particularly at the Salton Sea
geothermal field in southern California.
This technology makes geothermal
a potential domestic source for the
production of some critical minerals.
Direct Air Capture (DAC): Direct air
capture is the process of moving air
over material that captures carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere,
which then can be injected into the
subsurface for permanent storage
or utilized for a variety of industrial
processes. Solid system direct air
capture requires temperatures
ranging from 176-248 degrees
Fahrenheit (80-120 degrees Celsius)
and a reliable source of electricity,
both of which can be provided
by geothermal energy systems.
Additional research on the potential
synergy between direct air capture
and geothermal energy systems
could provide viable technology
to address carbon capture needs
potentially at much lower operating
costs than other approaches to
powering DAC.
The drill at Utah FORGE, which is currently drilling a 10,000-foot-deep geothermal well to
test Enhanced Geothermal Systems.
50
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 11
These discussions with energy experts, state and
federal agencies, and other stakeholders brought
together a wide array of perspectives. Their expertise
and input are reflected in the policy recommendations
included in this section. Recommendations are
organized into three categories based on the type of
geothermal resource and use they apply to: electricity
generation, heating and cooling, and market
development and transition opportunities.
Recommendations
The Western Governors’ Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative,
under the leadership of WGA Chair, Colorado Governor
Jared Polis, examined the various market, technology,
regulatory, and policy factors that affect the development
of geothermal resources and evaluated strategies to
accelerate the deployment of geothermal technologies
across the West. WGA conducted a rigorous stakeholder
process, engaging with over 500 stakeholders through an
online survey, tours, work sessions, and a webinar series.
Electricity Generation
Improve Resource
Assessment and
Data Collection
A significant barrier to the
development of new geothermal
electricity generation projects is
the upfront cost and risk. De-risking
geothermal projects can result
in much lower costs. Much of the
immediate potential for electricity
generation in western states is in
the development of conventional
hydrothermal resources without
surface features. Since electricity
generation depends on site-specific
factors like the subsurface heat and
permeability of the rock, even when
a hydrothermal resource is found
there is no guarantee development
will succeed. Existing technologies
and exploration methods can also
estimate where they may occur,
but with low reliability. Innovative
exploration methods and improved
data are needed to better image
the subsurface and improve
prospecting for these types of
resources.
Recommendation:
Increase federal funding
for resource assessments.
Better data and the development
of regional resource assessments
can increase the rate of exploration
success. At the federal level, USGS
is responsible for mapping and
assessing energy and mineral
resources, including national-scale
geothermal resource assessments.
This data can be used to develop
models, analyses and decision-
making tools for geothermal resource
targeting.
Geothermal resource identification
requires relatively granular data,
which is lacking in much of the West
and both costly and time consuming
to collect. USGS, in partnership
with DOE’s GTO, is pursuing several
projects to collect data at the needed
scales across the West.
GTO led an initiative from 2015 to
2020 to develop a Play Fairway
Analysis (PFA) for geothermal
resource assessments. A PFA is a
data mapping method adopted
from the oil and gas industry to
create a geostatistical map of
probable geothermal resources.
Assessments are conducted at a
basin or regional scale. Further
federal development or support of
PFA mapping initiatives to assess
geothermal resources would assist
in the siting of geothermal projects.
Congress should provide USGS and
DOE with funding to increase the
pace and scale of data collection,
mapping and resource assessments
and facilitate collaboration with
state geological surveys. DOE
should also leverage synergies with
other programs, such as USGS’s
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
(MRI) that are complementary
efforts and in which states are
already partners, to expedite
efforts to assess geothermal
resources. Large scale mapping and
data collection can benefit from
significant economies of scale and
generate far greater return than a
hit or miss approach from private
funding sources that would add to
project costs.
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12 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Recommendation: Coordinate with
states to target areas with greatest
potential.
Partnership with states and state
geological surveys is critical, both to
identify areas with the highest potential
for geothermal development across
a range of factors, and to leverage
relevant data states already possess.
States serve a critical function as
primary sources and stewards of
geospatial, scientific, and technical
datasets that support the development
of renewable energy resources. State
geological surveys should have the
opportunity to provide input and
recommendations on where USGS and
GTO prioritize resource assessment
efforts in their states.
Recommendation: Improve the federal
repository of relevant geothermal
development data and the ability to
interact with it.
When siting projects, geothermal
developers consider multiple factors
such as heat gradients, grid capacity,
transmission, and environmental
justice. The federal geothermal data
repository should seek to incorporate
data relevant to those factors, such as
mapping overlays of critical habitat for
endangered species, hydrological data,
and existing transmission capacity.
These resources, while not all directly
related to geothermal development,
capture unique aspects of regional and
basin specific landscapes and other
characteristics that affect the siting and
deployment of geothermal projects. This
data will allow for locations ideal for
the siting of geothermal development
to be more easily located. This federal
repository could build on NREL’s
Geothermal Prospector and should be
publicly available and easily accessible
online.
Recommendation: Leverage data from
the oil and gas industry.
The oil and gas industry and the
mining industry are natural partners in
the development and deployment of
geothermal technology and resources.
Both industries rely heavily on
subsurface expertise that could help
reduce the exploration and drilling
costs of the geothermal industry. These
operators should be encouraged to
share data from existing operations with
geothermal developers. Further, public-
private partnerships with DOE should be
encouraged to reduce the cost of drilling
for geothermal wells through project
demonstration grants.
Governors can facilitate the collection of
data from existing oil and gas wells and
facilitate geothermal permitting under
a similar structure as existing drilling.
Orphaned oil and gas wells under the
state’s control or directive could be
used to collect temperature gradient
data or could even be converted into
a geothermal resource. Developing
and sharing, in an open call for
collaboration, an inventory of orphaned
wells could save states the cost of
plugging wells and reduce exploration
and drilling costs to geothermal
developers.
Mitigate Risk in Drilling
and Exploration
While Play Fairway Analysis mapping
provides a good estimate of where
geothermal resources may be located,
subsurface activities are needed to
confirm their presence. Often requiring
drilling, the confirmation of viable
resources can cost millions of dollars
without the promise of success. This
risk drives up the cost of financing
geothermal developments. Federal
agencies should consider reducing
risk in this phase of development
through support for technological
advancements, insurance, tax incentives,
and regulatory improvements.
Recommendation: Continue federal
investment in reducing uncertainty in
geothermal exploration.
In 2020, DOE launched the Hidden
Systems Initiative to provide grants
for the research and development of
innovative subsurface technologies.
Research and development from these
grants could tailor drilling technologies
to geothermal resources and provide
useful geological data, both of which
help minimize the financial risk of
confirming a resource. Congress should
extend authorization and increase
funding for the Hidden Systems
Initiative.
Recommendation: Explore models to
help developers secure financing for
exploratory drilling.
The high risk and high upfront cost
of geothermal development resulting
from uncertainty in the viability of
resources is a significant barrier to
the industry’s growth. To offset some
of the risk and encourage investment,
DOE offered several programs from
Governors Jared Polis and Spencer Cox with join the team from Cyrq Energy at its Thermo
Geothermal Power Plant in Utah.
52
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 13
the late 1970s to the late 1980s.
One of those programs was the
User-Coupled Confirmation Drilling
Program (UCDP) cost-sharing grant,
through which a developer paid
80 percent of the cost if a project
was successful and only 10 percent
if the resource did not prove to be
viable. The U.S. experienced the
most growth in geothermal power
capacity during the period this
program was offered.
Globally, programs to mitigate
the upfront risk of geothermal
development, such as guaranteed
loans and public financing, are
common. European markets
have addressed this challenge by
offering insurance for geothermal
exploratory drilling. In the U.S., there
are currently limited programs at
the federal level to help geothermal
developers get past the high-risk
early stages of development. DOE
should explore the feasibility of cost
share programs, such as guaranteed
loans, insurance, and grants, and
assess the effect these mechanisms
would have on the geothermal
industry.
Recommendation: Extend existing
tax incentives for the oil and
gas industries to geothermal
development.
Despite the similarity of exploration
activities in the geothermal and oil
and gas industry, some regulatory
and tax incentives that currently
apply to exploratory wells drilled
for oil and gas do not apply to
geothermal exploration. Oil and gas
companies can deduct intangible
drilling costs, defined as costs
related to drilling that have no
salvageable value, from their income
tax. Congress should extend this
tax treatment to the geothermal
industry.
Optimize Permitting
and Improve Regulatory
Certainty
Difficulty navigating the permitting
process can also hinder geothermal
development. Opportunities exist
to optimize those processes that
could result in shorter development
timelines, thereby reducing costs
for developers and encouraging
more exploration and discovery of
geothermal resources.
Many geothermal resources are
located on federal lands managed
by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Timelines for permitting approval
can include up to six separate
environmental reviews, which
typically can require seven to ten
years to complete. Regulations
also vary by state and by the
type of geothermal development.
Efficient permitting and a clear and
consistent regulatory environment
would help foster the geothermal
industry.
Recommendation: Provide tools
and resources to help proponents
navigate the geothermal
development process.
DOE should coordinate with states
to maintain publicly available
resources detailing the state and
federal requirements that apply
to geothermal development in
each state. DOE’s Regulatory and
Permitting Information Desktop
Advancements in geothermal drilling technology, such as those developed at Utah
FORGE, are increasing the rate of drill penetration and reducing the cost of developing
geothermal wells.
53
14 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
(RAPID) toolkit is an excellent tool
to provide easy access to federal
and state permitting information
and best practices. The RAPID toolkit
should be updated to include all
western states and maintained to
ensure that it reflects up-to-date and
accurate information.
Because the majority of geothermal
resources in the West occur on BLM
land, BLM should also ensure that
relevant information and regulations
are easily accessible to developers.
BLM maintains a resource page for
geothermal development, but more
information on the conversion of
oil and gas wells to geothermal
development would be helpful,
as would integration of BLM’s
information with DOE’s RAPID toolkit.
Recommendation: Increase agency
capacity for leasing and permitting.
BLM and USFS need adequate staffing
and expertise at their local offices
to approve and process geothermal
lease nominations. Geothermal lease
nominations for projects proposed
on federal surface lands not managed
by BLM must be approved by both
agencies, meaning that both agencies
must complete an environmental
review process under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
This process can take up to four
years. While it is critical to conduct
thorough and comprehensive
environmental reviews, the length
of that process can be affected
by staffing shortages, competing
priorities, and inexperience with
geothermal development.
After leasing, geothermal projects
require at least two subsequent
NEPA reviews conducted by BLM for
resource confirmation activities and
utilization plans. Field offices with
experience permitting geothermal
development are generally more
efficient and able to process
permits more quickly than those
that have not. These additional
steps are above and beyond those
generally required for similar
activity on state, tribal, or private
land and therefore largely exclude
federal land from geothermal
opportunities.
The Department of the Interior
(DOI), USFS, and Congress should
ensure that the relevant agencies
are adequately staffed to review
permits in a timely fashion. DOI
and USFS should also ensure
agency staff have access to technical
experts to build staff expertise
in geothermal development. A
partnership with DOE’s GTO should
develop training materials, standard
operating procedures, and provide
technical support to field and
district offices.
Recommendation: Develop
streamlined processes for
geothermal leasing on par with
other energy categories.
In 2008, BLM and USFS released the
Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement for Geothermal
Leasing in the Western United States
to facilitate decisions on geothermal
lease applications. This remains an
effective tool to help the agencies
process lease nominations. As a next
step, BLM should establish priority
leasing areas for geothermal energy,
as it has done for wind and solar
energy in Instruction Memorandum
No. 2022-027. Priority leasing areas
should shorten development
timelines for projects with the
greatest technical and financial
feasibility and the least anticipated
natural and cultural resource
conflicts on BLM-administered lands.
Cyrq Energy’s Thermo Geothermal Power Plant, which sustainably produces power used in Anaheim, California.
54
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 15
Recommendation: Expand oil and gas
exploration regulatory efficiencies to
geothermal development.
Exploration in the oil and gas
industry has benefited from Section
390 of The Energy Policy Act of 2005,
which authorizes BLM to apply a
categorical exclusion when
approving exploratory drilling for
oil and gas resources. Categorical
exclusions apply to categories
of activities that an agency has
determined have no significant
impact to the human environment
and thus do not require an
environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement
under NEPA. They can be an effective
tool to streamline environmental
review processes in specific
circumstances defined by the agency.
Congress should expand Section 390
to include geothermal exploration,
which would allow agencies to use
the existing categorical exclusion
to facilitate increased geothermal
exploration and the discovery of new
resources without compromising
environmental protections.
Recommendation: Fund research on
the water usage of EGS.
Increasing the share of U.S. electricity
produced from geothermal energy is
not expected to increase the water
demand of the power sector overall.
Geothermal technologies do not
require fresh water and can operate
with brackish or even municipal
wastewater – a significant benefit in
the arid West. Water can also often
be retained in a closed system. Air
cooling and passive geothermal
cooling also represent viable
alternatives to water cooling in arid
areas.
It is also critical to ensure the
efficient use and protection of
water resources for the development
of EGS. DOE should fund water
efficiency research as part of the
Enhanced Geothermal Shot and
related EGS efforts.
Recommendation: Collaborate with
tribes and communities, including
consultation prior to and during
project development.
Geothermal resources can occur
on tribal lands across the western
United States. Even when these
opportunities are not on tribal
land, they can occur in areas with
historical or cultural significance
to tribes. Where relevant, it is
important to consult tribes at the
beginning of a potential geothermal
project and ensure that the resource
is developed in a way that does
not damage sensitive historical
and cultural resources. To help
developers consider these factors
in siting decisions, data layers
incorporating the location of these
resources should be included in
federal geothermal repositories and
considered in the development of
priority leasing areas.
Expand Funding
Opportunities
Improved data leading to higher
confidence in locating resources and
permitting process improvements
that shorten development timelines
will help reduce uncertainty and
risk in geothermal development and
make it more attractive to investors
and capital markets.
Recommendation: Expand funding
for demonstration projects.
Congress should expand funding for
programs that support geothermal
demonstration projects such as those
under the DOE Loan Program Office’s
Title 17 Clean Energy Financing
program. Further demonstration
of geothermal projects could open
market avenues for electrical
generation and heating that spur
private investment.
Congress should continue to fund
the FORGE project and establish
additional EGS demonstration
projects in the West. The FORGE
demonstration project is developing
technologies and techniques
necessary to commercialize EGS and
build confidence in the industry.
Recommendation: Encourage
development in energy transition
communities.
The Inflation Reduction Act (Pub. L.
117–169) includes bonus credits for
renewable energy development that
occurs in energy communities, which
are defined to include communities
with substantial employment
driven by the coal, power plants,
and the oil and gas sector. This
is an important provision to
stimulate job creation and economic
development in communities
Lauren Boyd, the Acting Director of the Geothermal Technologies Office, addressed
Governor Jared Polis and Alejandro Moreno, the Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, during an initiative workshop at the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.
55
16 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
affected by the energy transition.
Where the economic benefits are
justified, DOE should target funding
towards these communities for the
conversion of existing oil and gas
wells to geothermal energy as part
of a just transition. Due to years of
development in these areas, the
local geology is well understood,
thereby lowering the risks and costs
associated with exploration. Areas
with existing coal and natural gas
power plants also have transmission
infrastructure already in place.
Recommendation: Increase
funding levels for the Geothermal
Technologies Office.
The Energy Act of 2020 authorized
funding for GTO at $170 million
annually through Fiscal Year (FY)
2025. Appropriations in recent years
have been significantly below the
authorized level. In FY23, Congress
appropriated $118 million for the
office, the lowest level among DOE
renewable energy offices. Congress
should appropriate sufficient funds
to the GTO to establish a strong
research and development capability
and to execute the recommendations
contained in this report.
Heating and Cooling
Implement Incentives
for Consumer Adoption
Home-, neighborhood-, and
subdevelopment-level passive
heating and cooling applications
of geothermal energy are proven
technologies that have been used
in the West for over a century. The
Inflation Reduction Act extended
the 30 percent investment tax credit
through 2032 for geothermal projects
that meet prevailing wages and
apprenticeship requirements. Project
developers can receive up to an
additional 20 percent if projects meet
domestic content requirements and
are located in energy communities.
The efficient rollout of these programs
to end users is critical to the adoption
of geothermal heating and cooling
systems, including networked
geo-exchange systems or thermal
energy networks, and the following
recommendation would assist in
developing these underutilized assets.
Recommendation: Expedite the
deployment of tax incentives, rebates,
and end-user applications.
The Inflation Reduction Act both
increased and expanded the tax
credits and rebate program for the
installation of geothermal heating
systems. The Internal Revenue Service
should move quickly to implement
these programs so that consumers
can begin taking advantage of them as
soon as possible and define domestic
content requirements in as expansive
a manner as permissible under
federal law.
Transitional
Opportunities and
Market Development
Growing the geothermal industry
will create jobs and economic
opportunity for workers across
the West. Geothermal electricity
generation creates long-term jobs
in the operation of geothermal
power plants and has a fully
domestic supply chain, making
these projects strong candidates
for the full federal investment
tax credit with opportunities for
apprenticeship programs. The
following recommendations would
help develop the workforce needed
to take advantage of geothermal
energy potential and address the
need for greater public awareness
of the benefits of geothermal energy
deployment.
Jon Gunnerson, the Geothermal Coordinator for the City of Boise, explains to workshop participants how the Boise Warm Spring Water District
has expanded operations from heating just a handful of buildings in 1892 to now sustainably heating 6 million square feet of building space.
56
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 17
Develop Workforce and
Contractor Ecosystem
The initial phases of geothermal
exploration and resource
assessment are valuable job
creators and utilize much of the
same equipment, contractors,
and expertise as the oil and gas
industry. Heating and cooling also
offer significant potential for job
growth in manufacturing, design,
installation, and maintenance. In
both cases, the skills in demand
are transferable across multiple
sectors.
Recommendation: Create
opportunities for workers and
communities affected by the
energy transition.
Since many of the skills and
positions needed for geothermal
energy development are highly
transferable from the oil and
gas industry and conventional
power plant operations, there
is an opportunity to target
investment to communities that
are experiencing the loss of jobs
and economic activity due to the
closure of power plants and other
effects of the energy transition. As
technology advances, it may even
become possible to repurpose
shuttered coal- or natural gas-
fired power plants as geothermal
power plants. Conversion of oil
and gas wells could also provide
transition opportunities to
communities and workers affected
by the energy transition. Congress
should establish a mechanism
within DOE that leverages existing
expertise and relationships in
the national labs to conduct
education and workforce
development. Congress and DOE,
in conjunction with other federal
agencies, should also consider
opportunities to target these
communities with resources and
training, and collaborate with
relevant trade unions to expedite
its deployment in communities.
Recommendation: Support
workforce development in the
geothermal industry.
For consumers to adopt GSHPs,
homebuilders, contractors, and
heating and cooling specialists will
need to have the expertise and
skilled workforce to offer those
services at competitive prices.
Policymakers should support
the development of industry-
wide training opportunities and
collaborate when applicable with
trade unions that perform this
work. The industry should work
closely with states to develop and
scale up training pathways to meet
this workforce demand.
Increase Awareness
and Education to
Develop Geothermal
Markets
Lack of awareness of geothermal
energy and its potential in the
West is another barrier to greater
use of geothermal resources.
The geothermal market has
many stakeholders, including
policymakers, regulators, utilities,
consumers, local governments, and
tribal communities. Understanding
of geothermal energy needs
to be raised in each group of
stakeholders to increase the
deployment of geothermal projects
in the West.
Recommendation: Develop
guidance for policymakers,
regulators, and utilities to
conduct cost-benefit analyses of
geothermal energy.
Many of the advancements in
geothermal energy have been
made in the last decade and
incorporating novel advancements
into utility resource planning can
be challenging. One difficulty
is that the value of geothermal
energy is not always fully
realized in traditional methods of
calculating energy costs, such as
the levelized cost of energy, and
attributes of geothermal such as
the dispatchable nature, extremely
low operating costs coupled with
longevity, reliability, and negligible
emissions, are often left out of
planning. Working with utilities
to understand how integration of
geothermal resources would work
within their market or dispatch
construct could help capture
the total cost and savings to
their system. Greater awareness
of the firm, clean nature of
geothermal energy could build
more confidence in the resource
and lead to utilities encouraging
geothermal solicitations in their
bids. DOE should develop guidance
on how to incorporate the full
value of geothermal projects into
resource planning.
Amanda Kolker, the laboratory program manager for Geothermal at the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, discussed the benefits of geothermal energy during
a WGA workshop at the facility in Golden, Colorado.
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18 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Workshops, Webinars and Podcast
Colorado
Mesa University
Geo-Exchange Tour
September 27, 2022
The Heat Beneath Our Feet Initiative
kicked off with a tour of the geo-
exchange heating and cooling system
at Colorado Mesa University (CMU).
Using less than half of the electricity
required by a traditional HVAC
system, the geo-exchange heating
and cooling system at CMU controls
the climate in 70 percent of the
buildings on campus (1.2 million
square feet).
In the summer, it absorbs excess
heat from the buildings on campus
and either stores it underground
for later use or transfers it to other
facilities in need – it even heats the
University’s Olympic-sized swimming
pool. In the winter, the system
pumps the geothermally heated
water 500 feet below the school
into the buildings on campus for
heating purposes. Doing so reduces
the University’s carbon footprint
by nearly 18 metric tons a year and
saves $1.5 million a year on energy
costs, savings that were passed
directly along to reduce student
tuition.
It has been so successful, the
University is not only expanding the
system to all of the new construction
on campus, but it is also working with
the city of Grand Junction to explore
options for expanding the system
into the surrounding community.
“This is an exciting example of
community-scale geothermal,”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said
at the workshop. “Once we build this
great geothermal heating and cooling
system, we can leverage it to help
extend the benefits and savings to
the community.”
As the country looks to electrify
much of its heating and cooling
needs, Amanda Kolker, Geothermal
Program Manager at the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, said,
“This is one of the few solutions”
to successfully do so without
overwhelming the grid.
“The ‘electrify everything’ pathway
will be a difficult one for the
grid to accommodate unless our
alternatives to gas-fired heating
and cooling are highly efficient
and resilient,” she said. “That’s why
the work being done [at CMU] is so
important to highlight and build on.”
Following the tour, WGA hosted
a webinar with Will Toor, the
Executive Director of the Colorado
Energy Office, and Kent Marsh,
the Vice President for Capital
Planning Sustainability and Campus
Operations at CMU. Together they
discussed the nuances of geothermal
heat exchange systems, opportunities
to replicate this technology
throughout the West, and challenges
to implementation.
During his tour, Gov. Polis also met with CMU students who received a 2 percent reduction
in tuition last year due to the energy savings from the University’s geo-exchange system.
Governor Jared Polis toured the geo-exchange system at Colorado Mesa University
(CMU) with University President John Marshall. With additional state funding approved
by Governor Polis, CMU hopes to become the first university in the country to use geo-
thermal energy to heat and cool 100 percent of its campus.
58
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 19
Hawaii Workshop
October 9-10, 2022
To learn about the potential for
geothermal electricity generation,
former Hawaii Governor David Ige
hosted a workshop for the Heat
Beneath Our Feet initiative at
Puna Geothermal Venture in
October 2023.
“Geothermal energy can be a
bipartisan solution to our energy
challenges across the West and I am
proud that Hawaii can be an example
to the nation and the world for
renewable energy,” Governor Ige said.
Located atop the Kapoho Geothermal
Reservoir in the East Rift Zone of the
Kīlauea volcano, the Puna Geothermal
Venture uses mile-deep production
wells to bring geothermally heated
fluid to the surface and produce
steam, which is then used to power
turbines that generate 38 megawatts
of electricity for the Big Island
of Hawaii each year – roughly 10
percent of the community’s use).
With the potential for the Kapoho
Geothermal Reservoir to produce 200
megawatts of power each year, Ormat
Technologies, Inc. plans to expand
the plant’s capacity by another 8
megawatts in the coming years.
Following a tour of the power
plant, experts from DOE, USGS, Los
Alamos National Laboratory, and the
Colorado Energy Office discussed the
potential for geothermally generated
electricity to stabilize the grid when
the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t
blowing, as well as to sustainably
power emission-reducing technology
like carbon capture plants, green
hydrogen production, and electric
vehicles.
By expanding the state’s use of its
geothermal resources, Scott Glenn,
the Chief Energy Officer for the Hawaii
State Energy Office, said Hawaii hopes
to become a net-negative carbon
emitter by 2045.
“[Geothermal energy] can drive our
negative emission goals by helping
to power direct air capture or some
of these other really innovative,
cutting-edge technologies that are
very expensive right now,” Glenn said.
“The low, low price that geothermal
can offer, makes them much more
viable and puts them on the table.”
In addition to the environmental
benefits that come with being a
net-negative carbon emitter, Paul
Thomsen, the Vice President of
Business Development at Ormat
Technologies, Inc. added that doing
so could cut the state’s energy costs.
“The energy rate [for geothermal]
that’s before the Public Utilities
Commission today is 5.7 cents per
kilowatt hour,” Thomsen said. “Most
western states are 9 to 12 cents. In
Hawaii, they’re paying rates as high
as 20 cents per kilowatt hour. So
geothermal has the ability to save
ratepayers in Hawaii $60 million a
year in the price of energy.”
After exploring the Puna Geothermal
Venture in Hawaii, WGA hosted a
webinar featuring Glenn, Thomsen,
and Nicole Lautze, principal
investigator with the Hawaii
Groundwater and Geothermal
Resources Center at the University
of Hawaii. Their conversation
focused on the potential for
geothermally generated electricity
to stabilize the grid and sustainably
power emission-reducing
technology like carbon capture
plants, green hydrogen production,
and electric vehicles.
During the workshop, participants got a chance to visit Volcanoes National Park, where
the power of geothermal was on full display.
Workshop participants tour Puna Geothermal Venture in Hawaii, which provides up to
10 percent of the Big Island’s power.
59
20 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Idaho Workshop
October 24, 2022
In 1892, The Boise Warm Springs Water
District in Idaho became the first
community in the world to tap into
a geothermal reservoir for heating
purposes. Though the system initially
only provided heat to a handful of
buildings, today it encompasses four
water districts that collectively heat
over six million square feet of building
space and over 300 homes.
Ultimately, it reduces the city’s carbon
footprint by approximately 20,000
tons of carbon dioxide per year – the
equivalent of removing more than 4,000
cars from the road – and saves the city
millions of dollars per year on electricity
costs.
“You just can’t beat the value of
geothermal,” Idaho Governor Brad Little
said during the Heat Beneath Our Feet
initiative workshop that he hosted in
October.
While the expansion of the Boise Warm
Springs Water District over the last
130 years is a perfect example of how
geothermal resources can be leveraged
to sustainably meet a community’s
heating needs, most areas do not
have such easy access to geothermal
resources as Boise does.
“We know more about the bottom of
the ocean or the surface of Mars than
we do about what’s underneath half
of Nevada,” James Faulds, the Nevada
State Geologist and a professor at the
University of Nevada Reno’s Bureau of
Mines and Geology, told the geothermal
experts that attended the workshop.
However, by extrapolating subsurface
data and drilling technologies from
other industries – especially the oil
and gas industry – geothermal resource
mapping can be radically improved and
reduce the financial risk of developing
geothermal resources.
“Through various kinds of statistical
analysis,” Faulds said, “we came up with
an algorithm that allows us to go out
there and say, ‘that spot in the middle
of this valley looks very promising
for geothermal.’ Those are hidden
resources that our estimates suggest
are three-quarters or more than our
current resources.”
This kind of innovative analysis, Nick
Goodman, the CEO of Cyrq Energy, said
will drive geothermal development for
years to come – especially if geologists
like James Faulds get access to better
data.
“A lot of the geothermal that’s
operating today came from data in the
‘70s and ‘80s,” he said. “Conventional
geothermal systems of tomorrow are
going to come from these hidden
systems and industry doesn’t have
the ability to do that upfront work, it’s
just not set up for it… I guarantee you
that 10 years from now we will have
operating geothermal plants that are
a result of the work these labs are
doing.”
To continue the conversation after
the workshop, WGA hosted a webinar
to discuss strategies for improving
geothermal resource assessment
mapping and project permitting. It
featured Claudio Berti, the Director
and State Geologist at the Idaho
Geological Survey, Lorenzo Trimble,
the Geothermal Program Lead at
the Bureau of Land Management,
and Jon Gunnerson, the Geothermal
Coordinator for the City of Boise.
Idaho Governor Brad Little discussed the benefits the city has reaped as a result of Boise’s use
of its geothermal resources.
At Boise’s Warm Springs Water District production wells, system operators demonstrate the
importance of materials selection when designing district heating systems. Despite high
corrosion rates, Boise has successfully avoided system failures by implementing engineering
and technological advancements.
60
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 21
Utah Workshop
December 12, 2022
EGS can augment the power
potential of existing geothermal
reservoirs, or even create
geothermal reservoirs where they
are not naturally occurring, by
improving the permeability of
subsurface rock.
To advance the development of
EGS technologies, DOE funds an
underground field laboratory in
southwestern Utah, the Frontier
Observatory for Research in
Geothermal Energy (Utah FORGE).
WGA hosted a workshop in Cedar
City, Utah, to discuss the potential
for this exciting technology
and what can be done to make it
commercially viable.
“Geothermal potential is inexhaustible
… but you can’t meet U.S objectives to
produce 60 megawatts [of geothermal
power] using conventional hot spring
systems,” Dr. Joseph Moore, the
principal investigator at Utah FORGE,
said. “They’re just not big enough. We
need to be able to drill everywhere
across the country ... and if you want
an electrical plant anywhere, you could
use EGS.”
The key innovation that is required
to deploy EGS around the world,
Dr. Moore said, is the lack of tools
capable of withstanding the sustained
heat encountered drilling geothermal
wells.
“New tools are absolutely required
to build an EGS system,” he said.
“Our project at Utah FORGE is not
to generate electricity, it’s to de-
risk these tools and to create the
reservoir … to develop the road map
so that developers and others in
any country can take the road map
and build the system.”
To learn more about this exciting
technology and its potential use
across the West, WGA hosted a
webinar with Dr. Moore and Jaina
Moan, the Director of External
Affairs with the Nature Conservancy.
They discussed the tools and
technology necessary to make EGS
commercially viable, including
strategies for navigating the
permitting process.
Colorado Workshop
February 24, 2023
The Colorado workshop of the Heat
Beneath Our Feet initiative was
hosted at the NREL Energy Systems
Integration Facility in Golden,
Colorado, where Colorado Governor
Jared Polis was joined by Alejandro
Moreno, the Acting Assistant Secretary
of the U.S. Department of Energy
and Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Renewable Power.
During the workshop, experts from
Geothermal Rising, Fervo Energy, and
BlueGreen Alliance, among others,
spoke with utilities about strategies
for incorporating more geothermal
energy onto the grid.
“There’s enormous potential for
everything from geothermal passive
heating and cooling systems to
geothermal electricity,” Governor Polis
said. “We want to make sure we have
an accelerated process in place, given
the nature of the climate emergency,
for geothermal to be deployed.”
“This needs to be a nationwide
approach,” Moreno said. “The federal
government has really significant
resources to accelerate this
transition… but we know that the real
work in making this happen is going
to take place in states across the
West. It’s the decisions made at the
state and local level every day that
ultimately determine what this energy
future looks like.”
The biggest hurdle to deployment,
utilities said, is a lack of quality
subsurface mapping and access to
drilling and transmission technology
that can effectively work in extreme
temperatures. While these issues
add a significant layer of cost
and complexity to geothermal
deployment, industry advocates noted
that the 24/7 reliability, long-term
cost savings, lack of carbon emissions,
and job opportunities for oil and gas
workers must be considered in the
cost-benefit analysis if this technology
is to reach its full potential.
“Solar took 30 years to go from super
expensive to now being one of the
cheapest ways to produce electricity,”
Martin Keller, the director of NREL
and president of the Alliance for
Sustainable Energy, said. “But we
don’t have 30 years for some of these
new technologies. We only have about
10 to bring these technologies to scale
and then deploy.”
Topics of discussion at the workshop,
including integrating geothermal
resources onto the grid, opportunities
to transition energy workers to the
geothermal sector, and geothermal
public education and market
development, were highlighted in
a subsequent webinar. It featured
Amanda Kolker, the laboratory
program manager for Geothermal at
NREL, Chris Markuson, the Western
States Director with the BlueGreen
Alliance, and Bryant Jones, the
Executive Director of Geothermal
Rising.
Dr. Martin Keller, Director of NREL, spoke
about the need to scale geothermal
energy use in a similar fashion to that of
wind and solar power.
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22 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Utah FORGE
June 9, 2023
In June, the initiative returned to Utah,
where Colorado Governor Jared Polis
was joined by Utah Governor Spencer
Cox to visit Utah FORGE. During the
visit, Utah FORGE was actively drilling a
geothermal well that will reach a total
length of 10,700 feet. Once finished
drilling through hard crystalline granite,
the well will reach a vertical depth of
8,265 feet, where the temperature will be
440 degrees Fahrenheit. “[Utah FORGE]
is an essential stepping stone to large
scale EGS development” Dr. Joseph
Moore, the principal investigator at Utah
FORGE, said. “It is being used to build
the roadmap for EGS, any developer
or country can take this roadmap to
build these systems… Worldwide there
is no other field-scale facility for EGS
research.”
The two Governors also visited the
Thermo Geothermal Power Plant in
Minersville, Utah. This power plant,
operated by Cyrq Energy, has a capacity
of 14.5 megawatts, generated by three
production wells and five injection
wells. Thermo supplies electricity to
the City of Anaheim, California, through
transmission completed by PacifiCorp.
Webinars
More Than Just Heat
While geothermal energy is
often associated with electricity
generation and heating and
cooling needs, its ability to
store huge amounts of energy is
another critical component of its
community benefit. To explore this
potential, WGA hosted a webinar
with Keith Malone, the public
affairs officer for the Hydrogen
Fuel Cell Partnership, and Sarah
Jewett, the Vice President of
Strategy for Fervo Energy.
Renewable Energy Incentive
Parity
The Inflation Reduction Act transitioned
current investment tax and production tax
credits to a “technology-neutral” tax credit
for low-carbon technologies and energy
sources. In light of this development, WGA
hosted a webinar with Sean Porse, the
data, modeling, and analysis program lead
at the U.S. Department of Energy, Bryce
Carter, the program manager for emerging
markets and geothermal at the Colorado
Energy Office, and Landon Stevens, the
senior program director for the electricity
sector at Clear Path Energy, to discuss
strategies for leveraging these new tax
credits and providing developers with
stable, long-term funding.
Geothermal Energy
at Home
GSHPs are a proven technology to
heat and cool buildings of many
sizes and use. To explore the
deployment of geothermal heating
and cooling applications, WGA
hosted a webinar and was joined by
Jeff Hammond, Executive Director
of the International Ground Source
Heat Pump Association, Heather
Deese, Senior Director of Policy
& Regulatory Affairs at Dandelion
Energy, Ryan Dougherty, President
of The Geothermal Exchange
Organization, and and Terry
Proffer, GeoExchange Designer and
Geologist with Major Geothermal.
Dr. Joseph Moore, the managing principal investigator at the Utah FORGE lab explained his
work on Enhanced Geothermal Systems to Governor Jared Polis and Governor Spencer Cox.
Governors Jared Polis and Spencer Cox with WGA’s Executive Director Jack Waldorf and the
team from Cyrq Energy at its Thermo Geothermal Power Plant in Utah.
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2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 23
Podcast
The Well of the Future: Repurposing Oil and Gas Wells for Geothermal Energy Production
With over 80,000 orphaned oil and gas wells in the U.S., repurposing those wells for
geothermal energy production would not only save millions of dollars in costs to cap
wells, but also reduce the financial burden of drilling a geothermal well. WGA hosted an
episode of its Out West podcast series with Johanna Ostrum, the Chief Operating Officer of
Transitional Energy; Will Pettitt, the Geothermal Discipline Lead at Baker Hughes; and Will
Gosnold, a professor of geological engineering at the University of North Dakota to explore
how this could help make both industries more efficient and sustainable.
Case Studies
Alaska
Chena Hot Springs, a remote off-grid
community near Fairbanks, Alaska,
has successfully implemented a
geothermal microgrid that has
been operating since 2006. The
680 kW isolated geothermal plant
offsets diesel generation, resulting
in significant cost savings for the
community. In the first year of
operation, the plant saved more than
$650,000 in diesel fuel costs and
reduced electricity costs from $0.30
to $0.05/kWh.14
The geothermal plant utilizes the
lowest-temperature geothermal
electricity source in the world at
71°C, with power generation enabled
by the availability of near-freezing
river water and seasonal subzero
air temperatures for power cycle
heat rejection. Creating a cascade-
of-use system, waste heat from the
plant is used for district heating,
greenhouses, seasonal cooling using
absorption chilling, a spa, and other
uses.
Additionally, the Aurora Ice Museum
at Chena Hot Springs utilizes
geothermal energy to maintain a
year-round frozen environment. An
ammonia-water-based absorption
chiller runs on 73°C geothermal heat
and provides 15 tons of -29°C chilling.
The chill brine circulates through an
air handler, which cools an annular
space in the ice hotel between the ice
walls and the external insulation. The
success of these geothermal projects
in Alaska demonstrates the potential
for geothermal energy to provide
cost-effective and sustainable energy
solutions in remote communities.
American Samoa
In 2015, DOI awarded American
Samoa $1.13 million to support a
geothermal drilling program to test
for resource potential on the island
of Tutuila. The American Samoa
Power Authority partnered with DOI
office of Insular Affairs and NREL to
complete a resource assessment with
hopes that geothermal energy could
be developed into a baseload energy
source for island communities. The
drilling program was completed and
found that although the islands may
have volcanic resources, assessments
suggested the resources would
be too high risk for geothermal
development and electricity
generation would not likely be
commercially viable with current
technologies.15
Arizona
Arizona has abundant low-
temperature geothermal resources
that have been tapped for
aquaculture and other direct
use applications. Nearly all
aquaculture operations in Arizona
use geothermally heated water to
produce shrimp, tilapia, and catfish.
Using waters 20-40°C, farmers are
able to grow larger and healthier
fish faster; and longer throughout
the year. The benefits of controlled
rearing temperature have been found
to increase growth rates by 50-100%,
raising the number of harvests per
year, resulting in increased profits.
California
California’s successful geothermal
energy industry can be attributed to
a combination of favorable geologic
conditions, supportive policies, and
market demand. California’s unique
geologic features, characterized by
high volcanic and tectonic activity,
provide the foundation for some of
the oldest geothermal installations
in the U.S. The Geysers, located in
the Mayacamas Mountains, has been
operating since the 1960s and is the
largest geothermal field in the world.
Its 18 geothermal power plants and
more than 350 wells use dry steam
cycles to continuously generate more
than 800 MW of electricity.16
Geothermal resources are also
abundant in Imperial Valley, which
has become a testbed for research
and technology testing and is being
developed for power production
as well. Salton Sea is the site of 11
commercial-scale geothermal power
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24 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
plants, as well as a lithium research
site funded by DOE. In partnership
with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
and Geologica Geothermal Group,
the project will seek to characterize
and quantify lithium deposits in
the hypersaline geothermal brine,
providing additional value to the area’s
vast geothermal resources. Community
education and engagement has
helped spur support for geothermal
development throughout the region,
bringing in tax dollars and good paying
jobs to a previously disadvantaged
community.
In addition to significant resources,
California has implemented supportive
policies that have created a favorable
environment for geothermal energy
development. Recent bills passed by
the California Legislature codified
the state’s goal of achieving 90%
renewable energy and zero-carbon
electricity by 2035, creating new
opportunities for renewable energy
projects including geothermal. The
California Energy Commission and the
California Public Utilities Commission
have also implemented programs to
reduce resource risk and encourage
the growth of the geothermal industry
such as loan guarantees, low-interest
loans, and grants for exploration and
drilling.
The expensive costs of electricity
in the state have helped increase
the competitiveness of geothermal
as a power source. Throughout
California, market demand for
geothermal energy has grown due
to the rising demand for power
purchase agreements (PPAs) from
community choice aggregators
(CCAs). Since 2020, California’s
CCAs have been key drivers in
the growth of the geothermal
industry, committing to long term
agreements with geothermal
energy suppliers like Cyrq, Ormat,
Controlled Thermal Resources, and
Calpine to generate nearly 300 MW
of new-build resources in the next
decade.
Colorado
For decades, Colorado has
leveraged geothermal resources
for direct use applications and
residential heating and cooling.
Geo-exchange installations like
those at Colorado Mesa University
have been effective at reducing
energy costs and continue to be
installed throughout the state.
In recent years, Colorado has
become a leading proponent for
geothermal energy, creating state
programs and offices to bolster the
development and implementation
of geothermal statewide. In 2023,
Governor Polis signed a regulatory
pathway for gas utilities to develop
thermal energy networks and,
working with the legislature,
passed an estimated $140 million
in refundable tax credits for
geothermal energy over the next
ten years, including $35 million for
a merit-based state investment tax
credits for geothermal electricity
projects.
In 2022, DOE awarded a $9 million
grant to Occidental Petroleum
to test geothermal drilling
technologies in the Denver-
Julesberg Basin through the
Geothermal Limitless Approach
to Drilling Efficiencies (GLADE)
project. Partnering with NREL
and Colorado School of Mines,
the project will drill twin, high
temperature geothermal wells
using existing and innovative
drilling technologies to drill
deeper and at higher temperatures
at a faster rate, ultimately seeking
to increase daily drilling rates
by at least 25%. The twin wells
system allows for drilling speeds
to be compared and validated for
a multitude of systems, including
EGS.
Governor Jared Polis toured the facilities at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in February, where he was able to see several
renewable energy demonstration projects and learn how they compare to geothermal energy.
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2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 25
Guam
A team from NREL and the U.S.
Navy’s Geothermal Program Office
conducted a reconnaissance
assessment on the geothermal
potential in Guam in 2010. Although
Guam has no obvious surface
features suggesting geothermal
potential and had never been
explored for geothermal resources,
researchers located a steam vent
and hot water well, suggesting
the presence of geothermal
fluids in the subsurface.17 Using
LIDAR technology, the Navy
conducted additional assessments
and provided funding to drill
temperature gradient wells in the
locations identified for geothermal
potential. To date, no commercial
or large-scale geothermal projects
have been developed in Guam.
Hawaii
In 2008, the State of Hawaii, in
partnership with DOE, signed a
Memorandum of Understanding
to collaborate on reducing the
state’s dependence on imported
fossil fuels. This MOU, which was
recommitted in 2014, launched
the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative,
which created ambitious energy
and climate goals and made the
state to be the first to commit
to 100% renewable energy by
2045. Today, renewable portfolio
standards and net negative
emissions targets are central to
Hawaii’s clean energy policy. The
RPS established in 2015, aims for
40% net electricity generation by
2030 and The 2018 Zero Emissions
Clean Economy Target revised
previous statues to target net
negative carbon emissions statewide
by 2045. The state continues to
rapidly move towards these goals
and since establishing the renewable
portfolio standard in 2015, usage of
renewable energy usage has nearly
doubled statewide.
Hawaii’s unique geography and
geologic features make geothermal
an especially attractive and viable
renewable energy option. Hawaii’s
electricity system is comprised of
six standalone grids, independently
creating and delivering power for
each island. Currently, commercial
scale geothermal electricity
generation is only operational on
Hawaii Island (at Puna Geothermal
Venture) and accounts for roughly
18% of total electricity consumption
on the island. At current capacity,
Hawaii Island’s grid is the most
manageable for geothermal, but
ongoing research and development
efforts by the state, as well as private
developers, are investigating ways
to develop geothermal resources on
other islands, especially on Oahu, the
population center of the state with
the highest energy needs.
Idaho
Idaho’s volcanic landscape makes
it an ideal location for geothermal
energy development. The state has
over 1,000 wells and 200 springs that
can be used to extract geothermal
energy and has several commercial
geothermal power plants, including
the Raft River Enhanced Geothermal
System Project, which provides about
11 MW of net capacity.
In addition to generating electricity,
geothermal energy is also used to
heat buildings and grow plants.
Boise is home to the nation’s first
geothermal district heating system,
and the city’s geothermal heating
utility delivers naturally heated water
through over 20 miles of pipeline to
more than 6 million square feet of
building space. The Idaho Statehouse
is the only geothermally heated
capitol building in the nation, and
district heating is also currently being
used
for space heating at several of
the Boise State University campus
buildings.
Kansas
GSHPs are deployed in a variety of
commercial and residential buildings
across the state: In Lawrence, the
Castle Tea Room was retrofitted with
a GSHP system during renovation to
provide heating and cooling, as well as
hot-water radiant floor heating;
the Regional Correctional Facility at
Fort Leavenworth includes a GSHP
system with 480 bore holes drilled
up to 280 feet deep, providing heating,
cooling, and refrigeration; Greensburg,
Kansas, which was devastated by a
tornado in 2007, has been rebuilding
with an emphasis on green technology,
including GSHP systems in several new
or rebuilt homes and buildings, such
as a school campus, city hall, and the
Kiowa County Courthouse.18
A lava flow from the eruption of Kilauea in 2018 is visible beyond Puna Geothermal Venture.
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26 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Montana
Montana State University researchers
helped pilot a new type of geothermal
heating and cooling system that could
reduce the cost of the technology.
The team of engineering faculty and
students guided the installation of
an innovative closed-loop piping
configuration as part of a major
expansion at a rural school in Winifred.
The closed-loop configuration utilizes
shallower geothermal boreholes
than a traditional system, resulting
in shorter drilling periods. Since
drilling is typically the biggest expense
associated with geothermal heating
and cooling systems, the technique
could lead to significant cost savings.
If the cost savings in installation
significantly overcome any reduction
in energy performance from the
shallower boreholes, there could be
a wide range of applications for this
new type of geo-exchange system,
including residential development or
in places where deep boreholes are
prohibitive due to shallow aquifers or
other limitations.
Cross-industry partnerships and
collaboration between trade workers,
engineers, geothermal designers,
and academics facilitated innovative
technology design, ultimately reducing
costs and demonstrating how a
traditionally expensive system can
be viable in a rural and underserved
community.19
Nebraska
Located in Lincoln, The Bridges is the
state’s first fully geothermal residential
neighborhood. The development
has six large geothermal ponds,
which provide the foundation for the
geothermal heat exchange unit used in
each home. Residents are required to
utilize geothermal heating and cooling
and the geothermal transfer lines that
connect homes to the cooling unit are
included in the price of the house.
Homeowners save between 30-70% on
energy costs and use significantly less
electricity.
Nevada
As one of the top producers of
geothermal energy in the country,
Nevada has a well-established
geothermal industry and strong
industry expertise. This technical
expertise and a streamlined state
permitting process allow projects in
Nevada to advance relatively quickly,
making it an attractive location
for both startups and established
developers.
Collaboration and robust
stakeholder engagement have
also been instrumental in the
success of geothermal energy in
Nevada. The industry has worked
closely with government agencies,
local communities, and research
institutions to develop projects
that are socially responsible and
environmentally sustainable.
Located in Churchill County, Enel’s
Stillwater Triple-Hybrid Plant is a
first of its kind facility, combining
binary cycle geothermal power
with solar photovoltaic and solar
thermal. Enel’s collaborative
approach from the outset was
a key factor in the project’s
success. Project proponents held
public forums to educate local
communities, address concerns, and
incorporate feedback. Partnering
with the Desert Research Institute,
extensive environmental studies
were conducted to understand
wildlife, vegetation, and
environmental risks and to establish
a mitigation plan. Since being
commissioned in 2009, Stillwater has
provided hundreds of jobs, millions
of dollars in local investment and
has generated enough electricity
to power more than 17,000 homes
annually.20 Electricity generated at
this facility is also used to power
Wynn Las Vegas, made possible by a
PPA signed in 2018 with the resort.
Additionally, Nevada has favorable
policies and incentives that have
supported the growth of the
geothermal industry. For example,
the state offers a 55% property
tax abatement for geothermal
power systems with at least 10 MW
capacity. Nevada has also focused
on streamlining administrative
processes and permitting authorities
for developing geothermal resources,
with state-level geothermal
legislation and policy development
active in the state.
New Mexico
With the sixth-highest geothermal
potential in the U.S., New Mexico
has attracted the interest of
developers who are actively looking
to develop the resource. In 2021,
Canadian company Eavor successfully
drilled an 18,000-foot well bore in
southwest New Mexico using their
new technology, proving that it can
potentially access deep subsurface
hot-rock formations that offer
massive amounts of clean, renewable
energy. The completed well is the
deepest hole ever drilled in New
Mexico and has demonstrated
enormous potential for unleashing
a virtually unlimited source of clean
energy for electricity generation and
for heating and cooling.21
Beyond demonstrating drilling
potential, Eavor’s operation
exemplified the lucrative
employment opportunities for oil and
gas industry workers in geothermal.
Two conventional drilling rigs were
used on this project, employing
dozens of oil and gas workers.
Partnerships and investments from
drilling rig operating companies
ensure stability and provides
continual opportunity for workers.
In 2022, the state legislature formed
a geothermal working group,
comprised of private developers
and other stakeholders, to explore
local development potential and
recommend action to increase
investments in both geothermal
electricity generation and heating
and cooling. Work group findings may
pave the way for future legislation to
help further encourage geothermal
development across New Mexico.
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2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 27
North Dakota
A team from the University of North
Dakota introduced a geothermal
energy project to the community
of New Town. The project proposal,
which was recognized by DOE GTO’s
Geothermal Collegiate Competition,
involves using existing gas wells to
draw hot water from deep aquifers,
generating geothermal energy to heat
buildings, grow food, and create jobs.22
The project sought to raise awareness
about geothermal district energy
generation and to provide a forum for
discussion among local tribal leaders
to consider renewable energy sources
like geothermal. Project proponents
engaged with members of Mandan,
Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations to
understand the cultural and historical
contexts of energy in the area and
to design a project to maximize
community impact. Meaningful tribal
consultation in proposal development
sparked a new interest in geothermal
amongst some New Town tribal
leadership.
Northern Mariana
Islands
Initial resource assessments
conducted in 2008 suggest that
there is significant potential for
geothermal energy in the Northern
Mariana Islands. On South Pagan, the
size of the hydrothermal reservoir
and the chemistry of the hot springs
suggests a geothermal reservoir exists
with an estimated generating capacity
of 50-125 MW. On other islands like
Saipan, deep faulting may allow deep
thermal waters to migrate upwards,
creating opportunities for low and
medium temperatures resources.23
Deeper temperature gradient wells
would be necessary to determine
full potential for geothermal power
generation.
Oklahoma
As part of DOE’s Wells of Opportunity
program, researchers at the University
of Oklahoma were awarded $1.7 million
in 2022 to repurpose abandoned oil
and gas wells for geothermal energy.
The project uses four hydrocarbon
wells to produce geothermal energy
for an elementary and middle school
in nearby Tuttle.24 The benefit from
recycling existing oil and gas well
infrastructure is expected to create
considerable savings for the schools.
Retired oil wells may give Oklahoma
significant advantage in developing
geothermal assets, given the risk, cost,
and environmental impact of drilling
geothermal wells is significantly
reduced by utilizing retired or
abandoned infrastructure. Of the
many retired wells in Oklahoma,
a large number are believed to be
viable for geothermal energy and in
many cases, are located near schools,
farms, factories, and other structures
that could be beneficiaries of the
energy produced.
Oregon
In recent years, Oregon has seen
significant growth in geothermal
energy production, in particular for
direct use and heating and cooling.
In 2020, Oregon produced 2.9 trillion
Btu of geothermal energy, with 1.2
trillion Btu used for heating and
cooling residential, commercial,
and industrial spaces.25 The city
of Klamath Falls has long utilized
geothermal heat sources to heat
buildings, residences, pools, and
sidewalks. Other examples of direct
use of geothermal heat in the state
include drying agricultural products,
aquaculture, heating greenhouses,
swimming pools and hot springs
resorts. Oregon has more than
2,000 thermal wells and springs
delivering direct heat to buildings,
communities, and other facilities,
demonstrating the versatility of
geothermal energy as a renewable
source of heat.
Beyond direct use applications,
Oregon’s volcanic geology has
supported geothermal power
production for more than a decade.
Since 2010, AltaRock Energy’s
Newberry EGS Demonstration
project, NEWGEN, has conducted
ongoing research to stimulate
fracture zones, demonstrate
diverter technology, and develop
a conceptual model of the EGS
reservoir. The project site, located
on the western flank of Newberry
Volcano, is one of the largest
geothermal heat reservoirs in the
West and could generate up to
10 GW of electricity using super
hot rock extraction technology.26
If successful, NEWGEN would likely
become world’s first super hot
rock demonstration project and
could lead to the construction of
a 35MW binary cycle geothermal
plant that could generate electricity
to be exported or used to power
surrounding communities.
Oregon’s success in geothermal
energy has been bolstered by state-
level financial assistance programs,
such as property tax exemptions for
properties equipped with alternative
energy systems, as well as programs
that support the development
of geothermal heating systems.
Additionally, Oregon’s designated
authority from the Environmental
Protection Agency to issue Class V
injection permits has been
effective at expediting the
exploration and development
process.
South Dakota
Geothermal district heating is
being used in various parts of
South Dakota for space heating. In
Midland, a municipal well drilled
in 1969 supplies hot water to heat
approximately local buildings and
spaces including schools, churches,
campgrounds, downtown municipal
buildings, residential buildings and
homes. This system is relatively
low maintenance and requires few
personnel to maintain, making it a
cost-effective solution for a rural
town.27
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Texas
Since 2021, the Texas geothermal
industry has seen rapid growth,
with more than a dozen geothermal
startups establishing themselves in
the state. Many of these ventures are
led by oil and gas industry veterans
and have leveraged that extensive
expertise to develop innovative
technology solutions and form
valuable partnerships.
Sage Geosystems and the Bureau of
Economic Geology at the University
of Texas at Austin launched a joint
venture aimed at developing a
prototype using advances in oil
and gas drilling technologies to
drill multiple wells to produce
electricity by circulating a fluid
deep in the earth to absorb heat
from the magma. The 2021 Phase I
feasibility study used nearly 50-year-
old abandoned oil and gas wells in
South Texas to test the model. The
project is designed to demonstrate
geothermal ability to provide
constant, load-following power
generation in an isolated microgrid
at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base
and meet 100% of the Base’s current
electricity needs.28 Phase I and II of
the project were funded through a
Small Business Technology Transfer
award, under the Air Force Innovation
Program and if successful, Sage
Geosystems is expected to build the
first prototype geothermal project at
Ellington.
Utah
Situated within the Basin and Range
Province, Utah provides immense
potential for not just conventional
hydrothermal systems, but also EGS
and other innovative technologies.
Rapid and innovative development
has been bolstered by supportive
state policies and initiatives. In the
early 2000s, the state established
a Utah Geothermal Working
Group to facilitate collaboration
between industry stakeholders,
regulators, and local communities,
fostering a supportive environment
for geothermal projects. Today,
recent programs and policies
aimed at incentivizing geothermal
development have spurred
advancements in the state. The
Utah Renewable Energy Systems Tax
Credit provides financial incentives
for the installation of geothermal
systems, reducing the upfront costs
for property owners. In addition to
federal investments such as Utah
FORGE, private developers continue
to site projects in Utah, most
recently, Thermo, a 14MW generating
facility operated by Cyrq.
Washington
Washington has potential for
geothermal energy production due
to its location along the Cascade
Range. However, the low cost of
electricity generated from the state’s
abundant hydropower has limited the
development of geothermal resources.
In addition, there are challenges
associated with geothermal
exploration in the state, such as the
lack of high-temperature resources.29
In 2010, Washington Public Utilities
District conducted an exploratory
drilling study in Snohomish County to
test geothermal potential. Exploratory
efforts ceased in 2012 after drilling
hit bedrock. In 2014 and 2017, DOE
awarded funds to the Washington
Geologic Survey to validate additional
areas of geothermal potential;
WGS published these results in a
favorability map.
Most of Washington’s urban areas
like Tacoma and Seattle lie outside
of feasibility areas for potential
geothermal electricity production.
However, GSHPs in these areas
capitalize on the regions’ low-
temperature geothermal resources.
Wyoming
In 2022, Petrolern published a
study for the Wyoming Energy
Authority assessing the feasibility
of geothermal opportunities in
Wyoming. The study found that
Wyoming’s geothermal resources
are generally moderate to low
temperatures and situated in
localized regions throughout the
state. Low temperature geothermal
utilization technologies such as
geothermal heat pumps, direct use
heating, and Organic Rankine Cycle
electricity generation are applicable
to these resources. Financial
analysis showed that new drilling
of prospects has low commercial
viability, while repurposing existing
wells has moderate viability.
Synthetic Geothermal Reservoir
has potential for high commercial
viability, but additional work is
needed to fully assess its economic
viability.30 Though protected from
development, Wyoming’s most
notable geothermal feature,
Yellowstone National Park,
continues to be a significant
economic source for the state,
bringing in millions of tourism
dollars annually.
Governor Jared Polis and Governor Spencer Cox get an up-close tour of Cyrq Energy’s
Thermo Geothermal Power Plant in Utah.
68
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 29
Sponsor Acknowledgments
INITIATIVE SIGNATURE SPONSOR
INITIATIVE PARTNERS
INITIATIVE AFFILIATES
69
30 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
Participant Acknowledgements
Colorado Mesa
University Kickoff Tour
Grand Junction, Colorado
September 27, 2022
• The Honorable Jared Polis,
Governor of Colorado
• Amanda Kolker, Geothermal
Program Manager, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Jennifer Livermore, Senior
Geothermal Project Analyst,
U.S. Department of Energy
Geothermal Technologies Office
• Brad McCloud, Area Manager,
Community Relations Western
Colorado, Grand Junction Lions
Club, Xcel Energy
• Lorenzo Trimble, National
Geothermal Program Lead,
Bureau of Land Management
• Lyn White, Director of Government
Relations, Western Governors’
University
CMU Recap Webinar
October 6, 2022
• Kent Marsh, Vice President
for Capital Planning, Sustainability,
and Campus Operations,
Colorado Mesa University
• Will Toor, Executive Director,
Colorado Energy Office
Hawaii Workshop
October 9-10, 2022
• The Honorable David Ige,
Governor of Hawaii
• William Aila, Chairman,
Hawaiian Homelands Commission
• Erick Burns, National Geothermal
Resources Investigations Project
Leader, U.S. Geological Survey
• Suzanne Case, Chairperson,
Hawaii Department of Land
and Natural Resources
• Allen Clarkson, Director of
Government Relations,
Western Governors Association
• Luke Frash, Research Scientist,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Scott Glenn, Chief Energy Officer,
Hawaii State Energy Office
• Nick Goodman, Chief Operating
Officer, Cyrq Energy
• Keith Hay, Senior Director of
Policy, Colorado Energy Office
• Nicole Lautze, Principal
Investigator, Professor, Hawaii
Groundwater and Geothermal
Resources Center
• Jennifer Livermore, Senior
Geothermal Project Analyst, U.S.
Department of Energy Geothermal
Technologies Office
• Melissa Miyashiro, Executive
Director, Blue Planet Foundation
• Sabrina Nasir, Senior Special
Assistant, Hawaii Governor
David Ige
• Jim Ogsbury, former Executive
Director, Western Governors’
Association
• Riley Saito, Energy Specialist,
County of Hawaii
• Monique Schafer, Renewable
Energy Project Specialist,
Hawaii State Energy Office
• Paul Thomsen, Vice President of
Business Development, Ormat
Technologies
• Michael Turner, Director of
Building Innovation and Energy
Finance, Colorado Energy Office
• Lyn White, Director of Government
Relations, Western Governors’
University
Hawaii Recap Webinar
October 20, 2022
• Scott Glenn, Chief Energy Officer,
Hawaii State Energy Office
• Nicole Lautze, Principal Investigator,
Professor, Hawaii Groundwater and
Geothermal Resources Center
Idaho Workshop
Boise, Idaho October 24, 2022
• The Honorable Brad Little,
Governor of Idaho
• Eric Anderson, President,
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
• John Anderson, Economic
Development and Innovation
Advisor, Idaho Power Company
• Claudio Berti, Director and State
Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey
• Erick Burns, National Geothermal
Resources Investigations Project
Leader, U.S. Geological Survey
• Alexis Clark, Hydrogeologist,
Idaho Geological Survey
• Grant Cummings, Policy Associate,
ClearPath
• Jared Dalebout, Geologist,
Bureau of Land Management
• Patrick Dobson, Geothermal
Systems Programs Lead, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory
• Juan Escobar, Head of Geoscience,
Eagle Ford Asset, BPX Energy
• Jim Faulds, Nevada State Geologist,
Professor, Nevada Bureau of Mines
and Geology, University of Nevada,
Reno
• Nick Goodman, Chief Executive
Officer, Cyrq Energy
• Richard Horsley, Energy Manager,
U.S. Air Force
• Bryant Jones, Executive Director,
Geothermal Rising
• Jennifer Livermore, Senior
Geothermal Project Analyst,
U.S. Department of Energy
Geothermal Technologies Office
• George Lynch, Legal Counsel,
Idaho Governor’s Office of
Energy and Mineral Resources
70
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 31
• Travis McLing, Research Scientist,
Idaho National Laboratory
• Andrew Mendoza, Deputy Base
Civil Engineer, United States
Air Force 366th Civil Engineer
Squadron
• Roy Mink, Geohydrologist,
Mink Geo-Hydro Inc.
• Scott Nichols, Regulatory Affairs
Manager, Ormat Technologies
• Jim Ogsbury, former Executive
Director, Western Governors’
Association
• Richard Stover, Administrator,
Idaho Governor’s Office of
Energy and Mineral Resources
• Mick Thomas, Division
Administrator, Minerals,
Navigable Waterways, Oil and
Gas, Idaho Department of Lands
• Lorenzo Trimble, National
Geothermal Program Lead,
Bureau of Land Management
Idaho Recap Webinar
November 7, 2022
• Claudio Berti, Director and
State Geologist, Idaho Geological
Survey
• John Gunnerson, Geothermal
Coordinator, City of Boise
• Lorenzo Trimble, National
Geothermal Program Lead,
Bureau of Land Management
Utah Workshop
Cedar City, Utah December 12, 2022
• The Honorable Spencer Cox,
Governor of Utah
• Phillip Ball, Chief of Geothermal
Innovation, Clean Air Task Force
• Bryce Carter, Emerging Markets
Program Manager, Geothermal,
Colorado Energy Office
• Patrick Dobson, Geothermal
Systems Program Lead, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory
• Joel Edwards, Chief Technical
Officer, Zanskar Energy
• Robin Hansen, Petroleum Engineer,
Geothermal Program Lead, Bureau
of Land Management
• Amanda Kolker, Geothermal
Program Manager, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Stephen Lisonbee, Rural Advisor
to Governor Cox
• Travis McLing, Research Scientist,
Idaho National Laboratory
• Jaina Moan, External Affairs Director,
The Nature Conservancy
• Joseph Moore, Principal Investigator,
Utah FORGE, EGI, University of Utah
• Johanna Ostrum, Chief Operating
Officer, Transitional Energy
• Jeffrey Sallow, Geologist,
U.S. Forest Service
• Greg Todd, Director, Utah Governor’s
Office of Energy Development
• Mike Visher, Administrator,
Nevada Division of Minerals
Utah Recap Webinar
December 19, 2022
• Joseph Moore, Principal Investigator,
Utah FORGE, EGI, University of Utah
• Jaina Moan, External Affairs Director,
The Nature Conservancy
NREL Workshop
Golden, Colorado February 24, 2023
• The Honorable Jared Polis,
Governor of Colorado
• John Anderson, Economic
Development and Innovation
Advisor, Idaho Power Company
• Koenraad Beckers, Research
Engineer, Energy Conversion and
Storage Systems Center, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Kelly Blake, Division Director,
President, Navy Geothermal
Program, Geothermal Rising
• Lauren Boyd, Acting Director,
U.S. Department of Energy
Geothermal Technologies Office
• Bryce Carter, Emerging Markets
Program Manager, Geothermal,
Colorado Energy Office
• Cynthia Connor, Policy Director,
Offsets and Emerging Technology,
Chevron New Energies
• Kristin Elowe, Planning and
Environmental Coordinator, Bureau
of Land Management
• Juan Escobar, Head of Geoscience, BP
• Neil Ethier, Vice President of
Business Development, Eavor
• Jonathan Ho, Energy System
Modelling Engineer, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Joseph Islas, Geologist, Bureau
of Land Management
• Sarah Jewett, Vice President
of Strategy, Fervo Energy
• Bryant Jones, Executive Director,
Geothermal Rising
• Kimilia Jones, Commercial Manager,
Chevron New Energies
• Amanda Kolker, Geothermal Program
Manager, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
• Justin LeVeque, Section Chief,
Research and Emerging Issues,
Colorado Public Utilities Commission
• Jennifer Livermore, Senior
Geothermal Project Analyst,
U.S. Department of Energy
Geothermal Technologies Office
• Matt Mailloux, Policy Advisor,
ClearPath
• Chris Markuson, Western States
Director, BlueGreen Alliance
• Travis McLing, Research Scientist,
Idaho National Laboratory
• Alejandro Moreno, Acting Assistant
Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, U.S.
Department of Energy
• Johanna Ostrum, Chief Operating
Officer, Transitional Energy
• Amy Robertson, Senior Manager,
State Government Relations and
External Affairs, Tri-State Generation
and Transmission Association
• Michelle Slovensky, Intelligent
Campus Program Manager,
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
71
32 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
• Faith Smith, Researcher, Strategic
Energy Analysis Center, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Mark Silberg, Special Advisor on
Climate and Energy, Colorado
Governor Jared Polis
• Will Toor, Executive Director,
Colorado Energy Office
• Lorenzo Trimble, National
geothermal Program Lead,
Bureau of Land Management
• Kathryn Valdez, Director,
Carbon-Free Technology Policy,
Xcel Energy
• Jack Waldorf, Executive Director,
Western Governors’ Association
NREL Recap Webinar
March 2, 2023
• Bryant Jones, Executive Director,
Geothermal Rising
• Amanda Kolker, Geothermal
Program Manager, National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Chris Markuson, Western States
Director, BlueGreen Alliance
Webinar:
More Than Just Heat
January 23, 2023
• Sarah Jewett, Vice President
of Strategy, Fervo Energy
• Keith Malone, Public Affairs Officer,
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership
Webinar: Renewable
Energy Incentive Parity
March 29, 2023
• Bryce Carter, Emerging Markets
Program Manager, Geothermal,
Colorado Energy Office
• Sean Porse, Data, Modelling,
and Analysis Program Lead,
U.S. Department of Energy
Geothermal Technology Office
• Landon Stevens, Senior Program
Director, Electricity, ClearPath
Webinar:
Geothermal Energy at Home
May 3, 2022
• Jeff Hammond, Executive Director,
International Ground Source Heat
Pump Association
• Heather Deese, Senior Director
of Policy and Regulatory Affairs,
Dandelion Energy
• Ryan Dougherty, President,
Geothermal Exchange
Organization (GEO)
• Terry Proffer, GeoExchange
Designer and Geologist,
Major Geothermal.
Podcast: The Well of the
Future: Repurposing Oil and
Gas Wells for Geothermal
Energy Production
November 2022
• Will Gosnold, Professor of
Geological Engineering,
University of North Dakota
• Will Pettitt, Geothermal Discipline
Lead, Baker Hughes
• Johanna Ostrum, Chief Operating
Officer, Transitional Energy
Survey Respondents
• Anzar Consulting
• B2E Consultation
• Bain Geophysical Services, Inc.
• Baker Hughes
• Baseload Power US
• Billings County, North Dakota
• California Department of
Conservation
• California Geothermal Heat Pump
Association
• Chaffee County, Colorado
• City of Salida, Colorado
• Clean Air Task Force
• ClearPath
• Colorado Public Utilities
Commission
• Colorado State University
• Dandelion Energy
• Deerstone Consulting
• Eavor Technologies Inc.
• Egg Geo LLC
• Fervo Energy
• Fire and Ice Geothermal Heating
and Cooling LLC
• Geopoint Generation
• Geothermal Exchange Organization
• Geothermal System Designer
• Gunnison County, Colorado
• Halliburton
• IGSHPA
• Lake County Resources Initiative
• Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory
• Murasaki Resort
• National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Nevada Department of Wildlife
• Nu-Tech Heating & Cooling LLC
• Ormat Technologies
• PB USA
• Petrolern
• Poudre Valley REA
• Quaise Energy
• Rio Grande Geothermal
• Southwest Energy Efficiency
Project
• Stevens County, Washington
• Sustainable Transportation and
Energy Holdings
• Tacoma Power
• Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance
• Theodore Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership
• Transitional Energy
• U.S. Geological Survey
• United Association
• United Power
• University of Twente
• Vallourec USA Corporation
• Washington Department of Natural
Resources
• Washington Geological Survey
• Xcel Energy
72
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 33
1 United States Geological Survey (USGS). “The Geysers Geothermal Field.” U.S. Geological Survey, 2023, www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/
clear-lake-volcanic-field/geysers-geothermal-field
2 U.S. Department of Energy. “Geothermal FAQs.” U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, 2023, www.energy.
gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal-faqs
3 U.S. Department of Energy. “GeoVision: A Vision for the Future of Geothermal Energy in the United States.” 2019. www.energy.gov/
eere/geothermal/articles/geovision-full-report.pdf
4 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). “Residential Energy Consumption Survey.” 2021. https://www.eia.gov/consumption/
residential/
5 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). “Geothermal Power.” 2022. www.eia.gov/energyexplained/geothermal/geothermal-
power.php
6 U.S. Department of Energy. “GeoVision: A Vision for the Future of Geothermal Energy in the United States.” 2019. www.energy.gov/
eere/geothermal/articles/geovision-full-report.pdf
7 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “2021 U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report.” NREL,
July 2021. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/78291.pdf
8 Gagnon, P. et al. (2022) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 2022 Standard Scenarios Report: A U.S. Electricity Sector
Outlook. Available at: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/84327.pdf (Accessed: 01 June 2023).
9 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “2021 U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report.” NREL,
July 2021. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/78291.pdf
10 U.S. Department of Energy. “Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS): Unlocking the Power of Geothermal Energy.” U.S. Department of
Energy, September 2022, www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/EERE-ES-Enhancing-Geothermal-508-v2.pdf
11 IEA, Actual and forecast onshore wind costs, 2016-2025, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/actual-and-
forecast-onshore-wind-costs-2016-2025, IEA. License: CC BY 4.0
12 Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. “Choosing and Installing Geothermal Heat Pumps.” U.S. Department of Energy, U.S.
Department of Energy, 11 Jan. 2023, www.energy.gov/energysaver/choosing-and-installing-geothermal-heat-pumps
13 Stringfellow, W.T., and P.F. Dobson. “Technology for the Recovery of Lithium from Geothermal Brines.” Energies 14, no. 20 (2021):
6805. doi:10.3390/en14206805.
14 Robins, Jody, et al. “2021 U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report.” National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, July 2021, www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/78291.pdf
15 Ness, J. Erick, et al. “Energy Action Plan - National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).” National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
U.S. Department of Interior Office of Insular Affairs, Sept. 2016, www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/67091.pdf
16 United States Geological Survey. “The Geysers Geothermal Field.” U.S. Geological Survey, 2023, www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/clear-
lake-volcanic-field/geysers-geothermal-field.ii
17 Baring-Gould, Ian, et al. “Guam Initial Technical Assessment Report - National Renewable Energy...” National Renewable Energy
Laboratory , U.S. Department of Interior Office of InsularAffairs , Apr. 2011, www.nrel.gov/docs/fy11osti/50580.pdf
References
73
34 • 2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE
18 Evans, Catherine. “Geothermal Energy and Heat Pump Potential in Kansas.” KGS Pub. Inf. Circ. 31Playas in Kansas and the High
Plains, Kansas Geologic Survey, Apr. 2006, www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/PIC/pic31.html
19 Amende, Kevin. “MSU Researchers Help Pioneer Geothermal Technology That Could Reduce Cost.” Montana State University, 18
Nov. 2021, www.montana.edu/news/21624/msu-researchers-help-pioneer-geothermal-technology-that-could-reduce-cost
20 Enel Green Power. “Stillwater Triple Hybrid Plant, USA.” Enel Green Power, https://www.enelgreenpower.com/our-projects/
operating/stillwater-hybrid-plant
21 Robinson-Avila, Kevin. “There’s Almost Unlimited Clean, Geothermal Energy under Our Feet. New Tech Could Help Unleash That
Potential in New Mexico.” Albuquerque Journal, 28 Jan. 2023, www.abqjournal.com/2568570/theres-an-almost-unlimited-amount-of-
clean-geothermal-energy-under-our-feet-new-tech-could-help-unleash-that-potential-in-new-mexico.html
22 Murphy, Connor. “New Idea for New Town, N.D.: Geothermal Energy.” UND Today, University of North Dakota, 1 Nov. 2022, blogs.und.
edu/und-today/2022/11/new-idea-for-new-town-n-d-geothermal-energy/
23 Mink, Leland Roy, et al. Geothermal Resource Assessment of the Commonwealth of the Northern ..., Apr. 2012, www.geothermal-
energy.org/pdf/IGAstandard/WGC/2010/1635.pdf
24 Warren, Sarah. “OU Researchers Receive Department of Energy Grant to Pioneer Demonstration and Repurposing of Retired Oil
Wells into Geothermal Wells.” The University of Oklahoma, 24 Jan. 2022, www.ou.edu/mcee/news/news-releases/ou-researchers-
receive-department-of-energygrant-to-pioneer-dem
25 Oregon Department of Energy (OR DOE). 2022 Biennial Energy Report: Energy by the Numbers. Oregon Department of Energy, 2022,
www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Documents/2022-BER-Energy-by-the-Numbers.pdf
27 Boyd, Tonya. “Geothermal Use in the Dakotas. Geo-Heat Center Quarterly Bulletin, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Complete Bulletin). A Quarterly
Progress and Development Report on the Direct Utilization of Geothermal Resources.” Geo-Heat Center Quarterly Bulletin, Oregon
Institute of Technology , 1 May 2012, www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1209221
28 Sage Geosystems. “Sage Geosystems Featured in Canary Media Article, “This Texas geothermal startup is storing energy in the
ground.”” Sage Geosystems, 2023, https://www.sagegeosystems.com/sage-geosystems-featured-in-canary-media-article-this-texas-
geothermal-startup-is-storing-energy-in-the-ground/
29 Steely, Alex. Fact Sheet Washington Geological Survey Geothermal Resources in ... - DNR, Washington Department of Natural
Resources, 2023 www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/ger_fs_geothermal_resources.pdf
30 Petrolern LLC. Final Report of Geothermal Resource and Applicable Technology for Wyoming, Wyoming Energy Authority , July
2022, wyoenergy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/11/Petrolern_FinalReportWYGeothermalPotentialAndApplicableTechnology_
FINAL1Aug2022.pdf
74
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 35 75
2023 THE HEAT BENEATH OUR FEET INITIATIVE • 36
1700 Broadway, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202 • 303.623.9378
westgov.org
76
U.S. Operations
9657 Lily Garden Ct.,
South Jordan, UT 84905
January 31, 2024
Cameron Millard
Environmental Sustainability
Energy Efficiency Coordinator
Town of Vail
Vail, CO 81657
Subject: Drilling and Thermal Conductivity Test Report,
Vail, Colorado
Dear Mr Millard:
This report contains drilling data, thermal conductivity data, and data analysis for the test borehole
drilled and completed in Vail, Colorado during the period of November 28-29, 2023. The purpose of
this borehole was to note variations in geology and drilling conditions as well as collecting deep earth
temperature and thermal conductivity data. The borehole was drilled in the location that was directed
by the design team and Vail City, adjacent to Ford Park (see Figure 1).
Drilling Results
A description of the subsurface materials is presented on the borehole log provided in Attachment A.
The borehole was drilled to a depth of 520 feet during portions of two days, with a total drilling time of
approximately 10.5 hours. The upper 219 feet of subsurface materials consisted predominantly of
unconsolidated medium- to coarse-grained sand with increased boulder content below a depth of 80
feet. A review of a geologic map of the area (Kellogg et al., 2003) suggests that this unconsolidated
material was Gore Creek Alluvium and Pinedale Till.
Bedrock was encountered at a depth of 219 feet, with this bedrock consisting of interbedded
sandstone, siltstone, shale, and minor inclusions of limestone. This bedrock appeared to be part of the
Lower Member of the Minturn Formation (Kellogg et al., 2003).
Voids were encountered in the subsurface at depths of 219’-227’, 295’-296’, and 407’-419’. Poor
drilling fluid returns occurred in the zone from 200’-240’. After conditioning the drilling mud with soda
ash, returns within and below that depth were normalized. Given the rapid normalization of mud
returns and the minimal limestone content within the bedrock, it is my opinion that these voids
consisted of vertical fractures within the bedrock. Kellogg et al. (2003) indicate the this drillhole is
77
Confidential and Proprietary Information
located approximately 0.4 mile west of an anticline and 0.8 mile west of a syncline, suggesting that
fracturing of the bedrock in this area should be anticipated.
A 1.25-inch diameter, SDR-11 U-bend assembly was installed to permit the performance of the thermal
conductivity test. The initial attempt to install the U-bend assembly encountered an obstruction and
the tube was pulled from the hole. During a second installation attempt, the U-bend assembly
encountered another obstruction at a depth of 415 feet (probably in a fracture void). The decision was
made to grout the hole with the assembly at that depth. The assembly was pressure tested and found
to be competent.
The U-bend assembly was grouted in place with a blended mix of 44 bags of GeoPro TL Lite and 22 bags
of PowerTEC graphite. No grout sample was taken.
Thermal Conductivity Test Results
A thermal conductivity test was performed in the U-bend assembly during the period of December 12-
14, 2023. This test was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the International
Ground Source Heat Pump Association and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air
Conditioning Engineers. The results of this test are provided in Attachment B. The , resulting in a field-
estimated average deep-earth temperature of 50.05 oF, an average thermal conductivity of 2.05
BTU/(hr-ft-°F), and a thermal diffusivity of 1.909 ft2/day.
Additional numerical analysis of the data was conducted using advanced thermal response testing and
digital twinning. This produced direct measurements of the volumetric heat capacity, grout thermal
conductivity, and earth thermal conductivity, as follows:
• Earth thermal conductivity = 2.05 BTU/(hr-ft-°F)
• Grout thermal conductivity = 2.01 BTU/(hr-ft-°F)
• Earth volumetric heat capacity = 25.8 BTU/(ft3-°F)
• Grout volumetric heat capacity = 52.5 BTU/(ft3-°F)
• Thermal diffusivity = 1.91 ft2/day
• Average deep earth temperature = 50.74 oF
It is recommended that these values be used for design. The analyses presented in Attachment B
indicate that the site is well suited for ground-source heat exchange.
Please feel free to call Matt Garlick (801-907-5654), Garen Ewbank (405-826-8156), or myself (801-673-
6647) if you have any questions. We will look forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Richard B. White, P.E.
Member
78
Confidential and Proprietary Information
Attachments
Reference Cited
Kellogg, K.S., B. Bryant, and M.H. Redsteer. 2003. Geologic Map of the Vail East Quadrangle, Eagle
County, Colorado. Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2375. U.S. Geological Survey. Denver,
Colorado.
79
BASE: GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE DATED 9/13/2019
FIGURE 1. LOCATION OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY TEST HOLE.
VAIL TC TEST
HOLE #1
80
Confidential and Proprietary Information
ATTACHMENT A
Borehole Log
81
Location: Legal Approx. Address: 522 S. Frontage Rd.
GPS 39.63971, -106.36671 East Vail, CO 81657
Elevation 8190 ft
Driller: PanTerra Energy Drilling
State License #: Joints on rig: 26 x 20' Joints
Rig: Top Head Drive, #916B
Drilling Fluid: QuikGel mud
Loop: 1-1/4" SDR 11 HDPE
Grout: GeoPro TG Lite Rotary:4' GL to top of Tbl
TD: 520'520' total reach
NOTE: Time gaps represent connections or unrelated activity.
Duration
Start End Hrs:Min From To
7:00 8:30
8:30 10:34
10:34 10:47 0:13 0 10
10:47 11:04 0:17 11 20
11:04 11:24 0:20 21 30
11:24 11:38 0:14 31 40
11:38 12:06 0:28 41 50
12:06 12:11 0:05 51 60
12:11 12:20 0:09 61 70
12:20 12:29 0:09 71 80
12:29 12:56 0:27 81 90
12:56 13:04 0:08 91 100
13:04 13:17 0:13 101 110
13:17 13:27 0:10 111 120
13:27 13:33 0:06 121 130
13:33 13:40 0:07 131 140
13:40 13:56 0:16 141 150
13:56 14:07 0:11 151 160
14:07 14:20 0:13 161 170
14:20 14:26 0:06 171 180
14:26 14:32 0:06 181 190
14:32 14:38 0:06 191 200
14:38 14:46 0:08 201 210
14:46 14:54 0:08 211 220
14:54 14:59 0:05 221 230
14:59 15:08 0:09 231 240
15:08 15:58 0:50 241 250
15:58 16:20 0:22 251 260
9:43 9:53 0:10 261 270
9:53 10:02 0:09 271 280
10:02 10:16 0:14 281 290
10:16 10:30 0:14 291 300
As above, with bedrock beginning at 219'
Sandy siltstone with pink limestone. Void from 219'-227'.
Interbedded grey shale, sandstone, and sandy siltstone.
AA
AA
AA with trace of limestone
AA
AA
Sandstone, siltstone, and minor shale. Void from 295'-296'
Go
r
e
C
r
e
e
k
A
l
l
u
v
i
u
m
a
n
d
P
i
n
e
d
a
l
e
T
i
l
l
Medium to coarse subrounded sand
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
Medium to coarse subrounded sand with occasional boulders
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
Medium sand with abundant granitic boulders
Time Activity Depth (Ft.)Fm Comments
Start rig (key stolen last night)
Warm up rig, mix mud, thaw equipment
Date(s): 11/28/2023 - 11/29/2023
Town of Vail
South Side of Ford Park
Vail, CO 81657
DRILLING LOG - Test Borehole #1
82
10:30 10:38 0:08 301 310
10:38 10:44 0:06 311 320
10:44 10:59 0:15 321 330
10:59 11:08 0:09 331 340
11:08 11:22 0:14 341 350
11:22 11:29 0:07 351 360
11:29 11:40 0:11 361 370
11:40 11:48 0:08 371 380
11:48 12:04 0:16 381 390
12:04 12:12 0:08 391 400
12:12 12:23 0:11 401 410
12:23 12:33 0:10 411 420
12:33 12:44 0:11 421 430
12:44 12:55 0:11 431 440
12:55 13:11 0:16 441 450
13:11 13:21 0:10 451 460
13:21 13:34 0:13 461 470
13:34 13:42 0:08 471 480
13:42 13:52 0:10 481 490
13:52 14:01 0:09 491 500
14:01 14:15 0:14 501 510
14:15 14:22 0:07 511 520
Drilling 10:25 Hrs:Min Drilling 0 -520'
COMMENTS:Starting air temp: 11/28/2023 = 5 deg F; 11/29/2023 = 7 deg F; 11/30/2023 = 11 deg F
8" bit used to 40'. 6" bit used below that depth.
Voids at 219'-227', 295'-296',and 407'-419'. Top void may include limestone solution cavity. Other voids are probable vertical fractures.
Poor returns from 220'-240' due to void. Mud conditioned with soda ash below a depth of 240', resulting in better returns.
Drilled to 260' on 11/28/2023. Drilled from 260'-520' on 11/29/2023.
No substantial hole collapse during overnight (11/28-11/29)
Loop broke from stinger during intial installation attempt (11/29). Due to impending darkness, decided to wait until 11/30 to re-run.
Cleaned hole to 520 on morning of 11/30. No substantial collapse.
Ran loop to 415', where it hung up (probably in fracture void). Decided to leave at this depth and grout.
Broke wireline when trying to pull stinger. Pressure tested loop at 110 psi. Held steady for 15 min. Grouted with stinger in hole.
Added 34 bags of GeoPro TG Lite grout and 17 bags of Power TEC graphite on 11/30. Grouted to surface.
Added additional 10 bags of grout and 5 bags of graphite on 12/1 due to settlement.
Total grouting quantities: 44 bags grout, 22 bags graphite.
Drilling observed and samples logged by RB White.
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA. Void from 407'-419'
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
AA
Lo
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o
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83
DEPTH FT. DESCRIPTION
FROM TO
SAND,
GRAVELS,
COBBLES SANDSTONE SHALE
0 219 219
219 230 11
230 405 175
219 11 175
α 1.035 0.95 1.05
α WEIGHTED AVERAGE 1.014133
% OF BOREHOLE 52.77% 2.65% 42.17%
84
Confidential and Proprietary Information
ATTACHMENT B
Thermal Conductivity Test Report
85
______________________________________________________________________________
Ewbank Geo Testing, L.L.C.
115 Woodcreek Drive, Fairview, OK 73737 Phone (580) 227-2358 E-mail gewbank@geotctest.com
In-situ Thermal Conductivity Testing since 1994 www.geotctest.com
Advance Thermal Response Test by Direct Measurement Results
Client: The GreyEdge Group, LLC
City of Vail, Colorado, 522 S. Frontage Road, East Vail, Colorado
To Whom It May Concern:
A forty-five (45.3) hour in-situ thermal conductivity test was performed on the 12th, 13th, and 14th, of
December 2023. The test was performed for the GreyEdge Group, LLC at the borehole drilled on
November 28th, and the 29th, south side of Ford Park at 522 S. Frontage Road in East Vail, Colorado.
Testing was done with a certified Ewbank portable test unit. The in-situ test data was acquired by Mr.
Duane Harman, P.E. and witnessed by Mr. Garen Ewbank with Ewbank Geo Testing, LLC, 115
Woodcreek Drive, Fairview, OK 73737.
The borehole was six (6”) inches in diameter and was four hundred and five (405’) feet in depth. A one
inch and one-fourth inch (1-1/4”) SDR-11 4710 HDPE loop was installed and the borehole and grouted
with graphite enhanced bentonite grout to surface. Static water level was unknown, however groundwater
was encountered. The average deep earth temperature was fifty (50.05 °F) degrees Fahrenheit, which
indicates the averaged undisturbed deep earth temperature. The power input was varied during the
testing using the advanced thermal response testing procedure.
The average thermal conductivity (k) for the ground heat exchanger as installed was 2.05 Btu / (hr-ft-°F).
This is an average conductivity per foot for the ground heat exchanger as constructed and tested. The
thermal conductivity value represents the rate at which the ground heat exchanger and earth transfer
heat. This value is required to determine the amount of ground heat exchanger for the design loads of
the facility to transfer to or from the ground loads. The thermal diffusivity was 1.909 ft2 per day.
This test data was acquired under the recommendations of the International Ground Source Heat Pump
Association (IGSHPA) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE).
Numerical analysis was conducted using advanced thermal response testing (A-TRT) and digital
twinning. This produced direct measurements of the volumetric heat capacity of the grout and earth, grout
thermal conductivity, and earth thermal conductivity. That report by Rick Clemenzi, P.E., follows and
determined the earth thermal conductivity of 2.05, earth volumetric heat capacity of 25.8, grout thermal
conductivity of 2.01, grout volumetric heat capacity of 52.5 and thermal diffusivity of 1.91. The measured
diffusivity (leading to volumetric heat capacity) is very important in designing an ambient temperature loop
(ATL) connected to a ground heat exchanger as a thermal storage system rather than a heat sink and or
source. It is recommended to use these values for design.
January 18, 2024
By:
Garen N. Ewbank, B.S. I.E.&M, CEM, CGD, CDSM, CRM, CBEP, CSDP, and CEA for
Ewbank Geo Testing, L.L.C.
86
CLIENT: City of Vail
LOCATION: East Vail, 39.63971, -106.36671
DATE PERFORMED: 12 December 23, date drilled 28-29 November 2023
BORE HOLE DEPTH: 405
BORE HOLE DIAMETER: 6"
LOOP DESCRIPTION: 1.25 hdpe sdr 11
TYPE OF GROUT: powertech2 to 1
CEMENT SEAL DESC: none
SWL: unknown
TEST OPERATOR: Duane
WITNESS: Garen
TEST DURATION: 45.3 hours
HEAT OF REJECTION DURATION: 44.68 hours
DEEP EARTH TEMPERATURE: 50.05
POWER INPUT: 20.15 Watts/ft. of borehole
EARTH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY: 2.05 Btu / (hr-ft-°F) {κ}
ESTIMATED THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY: 1.909 ft2 / day {α}
HEAT CAPACITY EARTH 25.8 BTU/FT3 - °F
HEAT CAPACITY GROUT 52.5 BTU/FT3 - °F
ESTIMATED BOREHOLE RESISTANCE:(hr-ft-F) / Btu {Rb}
AVERAGE FLOW TO LOOP: 6.97 GPM
(4 GPM/300' FOR BOREHOLE RESISTANCE <~5%)
Ratio of grout κ to soil κ 0.980
MEAN HEAT RATE (MAXIMUM): 27838 Btu / hr
LATE TIME SLOPE: 4.1578 °F / Ln(time)
T AVG INTERCEPT AT 1HR: °F
T AVG AT 1 HR: 62.16 °F
RISE: 12.10 °F
T AVG AT 39.43 HRS: 73.33 °F
RISE: 23.28 °F
87
Geothermal Design Center Inc.
PO Box 18757
Asheville, NC 28814
Date: January 17, 2024
To: Garen Ewbank
Ewbank Geo Testing, LLC
Re: Advanced Thermal Response Test Analysis,
East Vail, CO -- GPS: 39.63971N, -106.36671W
Enclosed is our GeoAssuredTM Advanced Thermal Response Test (A-TRT) Numerical
Analyses on the TRT data and well log materials shared with us for GPS coordinates
39.63971N, -106.36671W in East Vail, CO. The results of this analysis are
important for properly designing and sizing Geothermal Heat Exchangers (GHEX).
Summary
The results of the A-TRT analyses are summarized as follows:
Description Ground Grout Units
Thermal Conductivity 2.05 2.01 BTU/ft-hr-°F (TC or K)
Volumetric Heat Capacity 25.8 52.5 BTU/ft3-°F (HC)
Deep Earth Temperature (avg) 50.74°F
Calculated Diffusivity 1.91 ft2/Day
The A-TRT shows there is a significant Thermal Conductivity impact from water
movement in the East Vail valley site, most likely in the top 219’ of unconsolidated
soils. This upper layer creates a thermal transfer opportunity which a GHEX
designer could perhaps utilize. The dynamic volumetric movement situation in that
layer creates higher Calculated Diffusivity and overall calculated volumetric Heat
Capacity figures than a conventional well log based analysis. We include additional
technical information below about the tests and results. The A-TRT process and
output graphs are explained below in "TRT Technique and Understanding the A-TRT
Graphs".
Analysis
Figures 1, 2, 3 below show the final results of the A-TRT Analysis. The nature of
the Figures 1 & 3 graphs is explained below. The Google Earth view in Figure 2
shows the site is directly adjacent to the creek flowing through this enclosed
mountain valley, almost certainly making the tested bore fully saturated and
affected by likely flowing ground water.
Test Well and Graphical Results -- The A-TRT analysis was performed as
depicted in Figure 1 below on the data collected from a TRT performed by Ewbank
Geo Testing, LLC started December 12, 2023 and run for over 44 hours. This well
88
Advanced Thermal Analysis
Page 2 of 5
was drilled November 28-29,
thermally “rested”. The bore was
“TG Lite / PowerTEC (2:1)” grout
with two (2) power fluctuations
the grout and ground properties.
with the A-TRT Numerical Analysis
digital twin model created is shown by how almost
line covers the solid blue collected data
drawn, Thermal Conductivity (TC
Ground, stem from the precision of the curve fit, especially the curve shapes
each parameter resulting from
increasing and falling temperatures involved.
how we know our conclusions are
Analysis are shown in the above Summary
The “TG Lite / PowerTEC (2:1)
reported by the manufacturer. GeoPro Inc. suggests a TC value K=1.2 for TG Lite
and PowerTEC at the specified
mixing ratio used by the grout
Analysis measures the effective TC of the
conditions. We conclude that the
movement causing this increased TC value, a result we have seen other places as
well (ground water movemen
values).
Well Log and Water Presence
unconsolidated sand, gravel, and cobbles.
water flow. A look at the site in Google Earth (Figure
mountain valley area with the
site. This combination of obviously
for geothermal use, and fully explains the results observed. However
Figure 1 – A-TRT Digital Twin
East Vail, CO Ja
, 2023 which was 13 days earlier and thus
. The bore was reported as having a 405’ 1.25" DR11 loop
” grout. Figure 1 shows the entire 44+ hour test
power fluctuations which let us draw more accurate conclusions about
ut and ground properties. The measured temperature data is shown in blue
TRT Numerical Analysis “digital twin” result in green. The quality of the
is shown by how almost exactly the solid green center
blue collected data average. The four principal conclusions
drawn, Thermal Conductivity (TC or K) and Heat Capacity (HC) of the Grout and
Ground, stem from the precision of the curve fit, especially the curve shapes
each parameter resulting from the quality of fit of a different part of the overall
increasing and falling temperatures involved. This very high degree of correlation is
how we know our conclusions are likely correct. The numerical results of the A
Analysis are shown in the above Summary table.
TG Lite / PowerTEC (2:1)” grout mixture tested significantly higher than as
reported by the manufacturer. GeoPro Inc. suggests a TC value K=1.2 for TG Lite
at the specified 2:1 mixing ratio, but we do not know the exact
grout installer which will strongly affect TC. The A
effective TC of the grout at K=2.0 under the installed
. We conclude that the saturated top 219’ shows evidence of water
ing this increased TC value, a result we have seen other places as
nt of every kind significantly increases soil
and Water Presence – The driller’s log shows the top 219
gravel, and cobbles. Such materials are highly porous to
water flow. A look at the site in Google Earth (Figure 2) shows a constrained
with the valley’s draining stream directly adjacent to the drill
obviously fully saturated porous overburden
for geothermal use, and fully explains the results observed. However
TRT Digital Twin Analysis Results
anuary 17, 2024
days earlier and thus fully
1.25" DR11 loop with
+ hour test period
let us draw more accurate conclusions about
measured temperature data is shown in blue
he quality of the
the solid green center
conclusions
) and Heat Capacity (HC) of the Grout and
Ground, stem from the precision of the curve fit, especially the curve shapes, with
a different part of the overall
This very high degree of correlation is
numerical results of the A-TRT
higher than as
reported by the manufacturer. GeoPro Inc. suggests a TC value K=1.2 for TG Lite
2:1 mixing ratio, but we do not know the exact
. The A-TRT
2.0 under the installed
evidence of water
ing this increased TC value, a result we have seen other places as
of every kind significantly increases soil and grout TC
219’ of earth is
Such materials are highly porous to
) shows a constrained
draining stream directly adjacent to the drill
n is excellent
for geothermal use, and fully explains the results observed. However, we caution
89
Advanced Thermal Analysis
Page 3 of 5
Figure 2 - Google Earth Map of
that the designer should take into account the fact that any TRT results depend on
this water presence and may
variations in thermal dispersion
Conventional Diffusivity analysi
movement into account, and we estimate Diffusivity at a significant
as shown in the above Summary Table.
Deep Earth Temperature Results
the initial 1 second data collection period.
unit, with the
equipment
getting to
ground
temperature at
about the 1st
vertical blue
line. Following
this point, we
see one large
thermal dip
and a 2nd
Figure
East Vail, CO Ja
Google Earth Map of East Vail, CO (test location at red
that the designer should take into account the fact that any TRT results depend on
y show varying conditions across a whole
dispersion whether up stream or downstream in
Conventional Diffusivity analysis does not take this water presence and likely
movement into account, and we estimate Diffusivity at a significantly higher
as shown in the above Summary Table.
Temperature Results – Figure 3 shows the temperature data from
the initial 1 second data collection period. This data begins with a cold
Figure 3 - Deep Earth Ground Temperature Analysis
anuary 17, 2024
red tag)
that the designer should take into account the fact that any TRT results depend on
site, including
the valley.
s does not take this water presence and likely
y higher value
shows the temperature data from
data begins with a cold TRT test
Deep Earth Ground Temperature Analysis
90
Advanced Thermal Analysis East Vail, CO January 17, 2024
Page 4 of 5
shallower one showing how the ground temperature settles to the average ground
temperature due to the water circulation. The 2nd horizontal blue line at the end of
a 2nd full circulation cycle shows the end of our average computation period to be
certain it is based on a balanced set of cyclic thermal data. Note this average
ground temperature is the average of an approximately 5°F temperature gradient
that gets warmer with depth. The GHEX designer should take all ground
temperature data into account realizing this location does not have a single average
ground temperature as shown by the provided “Deep Earth Temperature (avg)”
value.
A-TRT Technique and Understanding the A-TRT Graphs -- The Advanced TRT
process involves pumping plain water inside the loop-under-test, measuring the
temperature of the water both entering and leaving the test gear, measuring the
flow rate, sometimes adding heat to the water via heater elements or an on-
demand water heater, and measuring the power consumed by the pump and
optional water heating. Values for each parameter are recorded every second when
the testing starts, then drops back to 1 sample per minute once the system is in a
stable operation mode. During the one sample every second period, a detailed log
of water temperatures is collected to determine the deep earth temperature (bores)
or current ground temperature (horizontal loops).
There is no set duration for an A-TRT test provided the output yields a strong
correlation with measured data without variable interdependence. This generally
requires a minimum of 12 hours testing overall for bores in a consolidated
formation. Longer tests are required when looking for Aquifer Water Movement
patterns such as from municipal water system pumping. Tests over 40 hours are
common to ensure highly reliable results, with a minimum 36 hours specified by
ASHRAE and ANSI/CSA/IGSHPA C-448 standards. When testing additional bores at
a single site, the subsequent tests can be shorter without loss of reliability if the
analysis shows TC convergence without ongoing variation.
The results of the A-TRT test are the estimated Thermal Conductivity (K: BTU/(ft-
hr-°F)) of the Ground and optionally the Grout (bores only), and the estimated Heat
Capacity (HC: BTU/cu-ft-°F) of the Ground/Grout. These results are combined to
produce an artificial parameter called Diffusivity (sqft/day) used by some software
to determine GHEX size.
The principle A-TRT input parameters are the measured In/Out Temperatures (°F),
Flow Rate (GPM), and heat rate (Watts or oz-propane/min). Also critical to an
accurate result are loop length, pipe configuration, bore diameter/loop spacing, and
pipe size with wall thickness (DR rating).
The process of completing an A-TRT evaluation involves setting initial HC conditions
from industry accepted tables and iterating on all parameters until a good
91
Advanced Thermal Analysis East Vail, CO January 17, 2024
Page 5 of 5
"simulation correlation" against the actual measured values is achieved. All of the
factors affect the resulting curve shape in slightly different ways which is how one
can see when one of the inputs is not valid. Our experience has shown that the
various rock and soil formations actually have quite varying HC from the common
well log based prediction. This is especially true for Grouts which vary widely based
on saturation level and quality of Grout mixing. Determining HC and K are the
principal steps of the process. Sometimes it becomes clear that one of the basic
input parameters is incorrect, such as loop length, which will become obvious from
the A-TRT process.
Specifically looking at the principal A-TRT output graph (Figure 1), the Blue lines
are the Measured In/Out water temperatures (dashed Blue) and the computed
Mean (solid Blue). The Green lines are the A-TRT Simulation Resulting Mean (solid
Green) and computed In/Out water temperatures (dashed Green). Power/Heat
Rate is shown normalized in Red. For the Horizontal Loop test technique, additional
probe temperature tests are taken to confirm ground thermal saturation. A positive
correlation result is when the solid Green line matches the solid Blue line during
periods of heat being added, and matches the bottom Blue dashed line when no
heat is being added. A correlation to the "shape" of the curves (for data following
detailed minute-by-minute sample collection) is the goal. It is this "shape fit" that
indicates a positive conclusion of the A-TRT process more than the exact "level"
which is highly dependent on initial conditions and timings.
Conclusion
The results are conclusive based on the available data and site location. This is an
excellent area for a GHEX. Given the mountain valley location, the surface water
level is likely very reliable and thus the results dependable for GHEX use. However,
ground water flow is unknown which could lead to slightly varying results across a
large GHEX area.
Report prepared by:
Richard A. Clemenzi, PE, CGD
Geothermal Design Center Inc.
828-712-6786
rclemenzi@geothermaldesigncenter.com
Certified GeoExchange Designer
92
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(
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TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
EARTH LOOP DEEP EARTH TEMPERATURE TEST
EWT
LWT
FLOW
94
50
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DURATION OF TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
EARTH LOOP TEMPERATURES DURING TESTING
EWT
LWT
T AVG
INTERIM PERIOD, LOOP AT FULL RESTING,
NO DATA, HEATING, PUMPING
ONE ELEMENT ONLY
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3
4
:
0
5
9:
3
4
:
3
0
9:
3
4
:
5
5
9:
3
5
:
2
0
9:
3
5
:
4
5
9:
3
6
:
1
0
9:
3
6
:
3
5
9:
3
7
:
0
0
9:
3
7
:
2
5
9:
3
7
:
5
0
9:
3
8
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1
5
9:
3
8
:
4
0
9:
3
9
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3
9
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3
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3
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5
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4
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4
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4
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4
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4
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4
2
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4
2
:
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9:
4
3
:
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4
3
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9:
4
4
:
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9:
4
4
:
3
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9:
4
4
:
5
5
9:
4
5
:
2
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9:
4
5
:
4
5
9:
4
6
:
1
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9:
4
6
:
3
5
9:
4
7
:
0
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FL
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(
G
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)
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S
(
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H
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N
H
E
I
T
)
TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
INTERIM DATA, NO POWER OR HEATING ELEMENTS
FROM HRS. ~39:24 TO ~40:31
96
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0:
0
0
:
0
0
1:
0
4
:
0
0
2:
0
8
:
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3:
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4:
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5:
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7:
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3
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3
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10
:
4
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:
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11
:
4
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:
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0
12
:
4
8
:
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13
:
5
2
:
0
0
14
:
5
6
:
0
0
16
:
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0
:
0
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17
:
0
4
:
0
0
18
:
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:
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19
:
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:
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20
:
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:
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21
:
2
0
:
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22
:
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:
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23
:
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:
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24
:
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25
:
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:
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26
:
4
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:
0
0
27
:
4
4
:
0
0
28
:
4
8
:
0
0
29
:
5
2
:
0
0
30
:
5
6
:
0
0
32
:
0
0
:
0
0
33
:
0
4
:
0
0
34
:
0
8
:
0
0
35
:
1
2
:
0
0
36
:
1
6
:
0
0
37
:
2
0
:
0
0
38
:
2
4
:
0
0
39
:
2
8
:
0
0
40
:
3
2
:
0
0
41
:
3
6
:
0
0
42
:
4
0
:
0
0
43
:
4
4
:
0
0
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R
A
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E
(
F
A
H
R
E
N
H
E
I
T
)
DURATION OF TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
FLOW AND DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE
DURING EARTH LOOP TESTING
ΔT
FLOW
97
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
15000
16000
17000
18000
19000
20000
21000
22000
23000
24000
25000
26000
27000
28000
29000
DU
R
A
T
I
O
N
1:
0
7
:
0
0
2:
1
5
:
0
0
3:
2
3
:
0
0
4:
3
1
:
0
0
5:
3
9
:
0
0
6:
4
7
:
0
0
7:
5
5
:
0
0
9:
0
3
:
0
0
10
:
1
1
:
0
0
11
:
1
9
:
0
0
12
:
2
7
:
0
0
13
:
3
5
:
0
0
14
:
4
3
:
0
0
15
:
5
1
:
0
0
16
:
5
9
:
0
0
18
:
0
7
:
0
0
19
:
1
5
:
0
0
20
:
2
3
:
0
0
21
:
3
1
:
0
0
22
:
3
9
:
0
0
23
:
4
7
:
0
0
24
:
5
5
:
0
0
26
:
0
3
:
0
0
27
:
1
1
:
0
0
28
:
1
9
:
0
0
29
:
2
7
:
0
0
30
:
3
5
:
0
0
31
:
4
3
:
0
0
32
:
5
1
:
0
0
33
:
5
9
:
0
0
35
:
0
7
:
0
0
36
:
1
5
:
0
0
37
:
2
3
:
0
0
38
:
3
1
:
0
0
39
:
3
9
:
0
0
40
:
4
7
:
0
0
41
:
5
5
:
0
0
43
:
0
3
:
0
0
44
:
1
1
:
0
0
PO
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I
N
W
A
T
T
S
,
T
W
A
T
T
,
A
N
D
B
T
U
DURATION OF TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
POWER INPUT (HEAT OF REJECTION)
DURING EARTH LOOP TESTING
TWATT
BTU
98
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
DU
R
A
T
I
O
N
1:
0
3
:
0
0
2:
0
7
:
0
0
3:
1
1
:
0
0
4:
1
5
:
0
0
5:
1
9
:
0
0
6:
2
3
:
0
0
7:
2
7
:
0
0
8:
3
1
:
0
0
9:
3
5
:
0
0
10
:
3
9
:
0
0
11
:
4
3
:
0
0
12
:
4
7
:
0
0
13
:
5
1
:
0
0
14
:
5
5
:
0
0
15
:
5
9
:
0
0
17
:
0
3
:
0
0
18
:
0
7
:
0
0
19
:
1
1
:
0
0
20
:
1
5
:
0
0
21
:
1
9
:
0
0
22
:
2
3
:
0
0
23
:
2
7
:
0
0
24
:
3
1
:
0
0
25
:
3
5
:
0
0
26
:
3
9
:
0
0
27
:
4
3
:
0
0
28
:
4
7
:
0
0
29
:
5
1
:
0
0
30
:
5
5
:
0
0
31
:
5
9
:
0
0
33
:
0
3
:
0
0
34
:
0
7
:
0
0
35
:
1
1
:
0
0
36
:
1
5
:
0
0
37
:
1
9
:
0
0
38
:
2
3
:
0
0
39
:
2
7
:
0
0
40
:
3
1
:
0
0
41
:
3
5
:
0
0
42
:
3
9
:
0
0
43
:
4
3
:
0
0
AC
V
O
L
T
A
G
E
,
H
T
R
V
,
A
N
D
A
M
P
E
R
A
G
E
,
H
T
R
A
DURATION OF TIME OF TESTING (HRS:MIN:SEC)
POWER SUPPLIED TO IN-SITU UNIT
DURING EARTH LOOP TESTING
HTRV
HTRA
99
February 2024
Ground source heat pumps:
Opportunities and challenges
D a v i d P e t r o y , N T S E n e r g y
N e i l K o l w e y , S o u t h w e s t E n e r g y E f f i c i e n c y P r o j e c t (S W E E P )
R E P O R T
100
D a v i d P e t r o y D a v i d P e t r o y i s t h e F o u n d e r o f N T S E n e r g y , b r i n g i n g
o v e r 2 0 y e a r s o f e x p e r t i s e i n r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y a n d
s u s t a i n a b i l i t y . A s t h e f o r m e r F o u n d e r /P r e s i d e n t o f B l u e
V a l l e y E n e r g y , a g r o u n d s o u r c e h e a t p u m p e n g i n e e r i n g
d e s i g n a n d i n s t a l l a t i o n c o m p a n y , h e o v e r s a w n e a r l y 1 0 0
i n s t a l l a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t C o l o r a d o . P e t r o y 's e a r l y
e x p e r i e n c e i n c l u d e s l e a d i n g t e c h n i c a l s a l e s o f s o l a r a n d
e n e r g y p o w e r s y s t e m s f o r r e s i d e n t i a l a n d c o m m e r c i a l
b u s i n e s s e s a t R M S E l e c t r i c . M o r e r e c e n t l y , h e s e r v e d a s
S u s t a i n a b i l i t y M a n a g e r a t G o l d e n A l u m i n u m , o n e o f t h e
l a r g e s t s i n g l e -s i t e i n d u s t r i a l p o w e r u s e r s i n C o l o r a d o .
C u r r e n t l y , P e t r o y f o c u s e s o n h i s r o l e a t N T S E n e r g y , a
c o n s u l t i n g c o m p a n y d e d i c a t e d t o H V A C a n d e n e r g y
s o l u t i o n s f o r r e s i d e n t i a l , c o m m e r c i a l , a n d i n d u s t r i a l
c l i e n t s .
About the authors
R E P O R T
N e i l K o l w e y N e i l K o l w e y i s I n d u s t r i a l P r o g r a m D i r e c t o r & B u i l d i n g
E l e c t r i f i c a t i o n S p e c i a l i s t a t t h e S o u t h w e s t E n e r g y
E f f i c i e n c y P r o j e c t (S W E E P ). I n t h i s r o l e , h e l e a d s
p r o g r a m s a i m e d a t a d v a n c i n g e n e r g y e f f i c i e n c y i n t h e
i n d u s t r i a l s e c t o r a n d p r o m o t i n g b e n e f i c i a l e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n
t o d e c a r b o n i z e b u i l d i n g s a n d i n d u s t r i e s . W o r k i n g i n
c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e S W E E P B u i l d i n g s t e a m , K o l w e y
a c t i v e l y a d v o c a t e s f o r b e n e f i c i a l e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n i n
b u i l d i n g s , e m p h a s i z i n g t h e u s e o f e f f i c i e n t a n d c o s t -
e f f e c t i v e h e a t p u m p s , h e a t p u m p w a t e r h e a t e r s , a n d o t h e r
e l e c t r i c a p p l i a n c e s . S i n c e J u n e 2 0 2 0 , h e h a s a l s o c o -l e d
t h e B e n e f i c i a l E l e c t r i f i c a t i o n L e a g u e o f C o l o r a d o .
101
Ground source heat pumps: Opportunities and challenges
David Petroy, NTS Energy
Neil Kolwey, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)
February 2024
Executive summary
Both air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) and ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) offer improved efficiencies
and greatly reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for heating of residential and commercial buildings
compared to gas or propane heating systems. Increasing the installations of these heat pump
technologies is an important pathway for Colorado to achieve its climate goals for residential and
commercial buildings.
GSHPs offer improved efficiencies compared to ASHPs, but at significantly greater upfront costs.
Therefore, GSHPs will be most cost-effective and will achieve the greatest benefits for larger buildings or
for networks of buildings, including these applications:
● Schools (K-12) and college/university buildings
● Medium-size and larger commercial buildings
● Geothermal networks for new home developments or a mix of residential and commercial
buildings
Colorado has many examples of these types of applications, and we highlight several in this report. With
a focused effort among GSHP businesses, building owners, real estate professionals, and policymakers,
there is great potential for expanding GSHP use in these types of building scenarios.
GSHP market development
The greatest bottleneck to expanding the number of GSHP projects in the state for the larger
applications above is the number and capacity of installers. Currently only a handful of drillers or
“looping contractors'' are doing GSHP projects in Colorado, and many of these projects are single-family
residential.
Growing the commercial drilling/looping industry and GSHP installation supply chain in Colorado will
take sustained leadership from the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), in collaboration with the Colorado
Geothermal Advisory Group, utilities, and the investment community. We recommend that CEO explore
the following strategies:
1) Hold discussions on how to improve the geothermal drilling market for commercial and
housing development applications with the four large successful GSHP installation
companies currently serving Colorado.
102
2
2) Collaborate with utilities/investors to develop a sustainable business model for large-scale
commercial looping operations.
3) Work with the Colorado Water Well Contractors Association (CWWCA) association to
expand the number of geothermal looping contractors.
GSHP grant funds and other state support
There is already an abundance of federal and state tax credits and utility rebates for GSHP projects.
There is also a state Geothermal Energy Grant Program, which we recommend focusing its GSHP funding
towards:
● Public schools, community colleges, and state universities
● Government buildings and complexes
● Nonprofit medical facilities
● Networks of new residential and/or commercial buildings
For large GSHP demonstration projects, we recommend the following process to ensure system
performance as proposed:
● Independent design review prior to installation approval
● Post-installation performance testing validation
In addition, the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) should encourage gas and electric utilities to
perform demonstration projects and cost analyses of geothermal networks for new developments. If
shown to be cost-effective, this could provide a new revenue stream for gas utilities, while contributing
to the state’s climate goals for the buildings sector.
Residential GSHP market
In general, ASHPs are a more competitive solution for smaller buildings and single-family homes.
However, our analysis shows that for homes in Denver or the Front Range larger than about 3,500
square feet or with a heating load of five tons or more, GSHPs have about the same life-cycle costs as
ASHPs (including tax credits and rebates). For the high country, which has more challenging geology, this
equality of costs would be true for slightly larger homes, such as 4,000 square feet or more, because of
the higher drilling costs.
We anticipate that the residential GSHP market will remain a niche market for large single-family homes
on the Front Range and in the high country throughout the next decade. This market is already well-
supported by the currently available federal, state, and utility financial support and will continue to
grow organically via small GSHP businesses, so it does not require any additional state focus or
resources.
103
3
Heating and cooling of buildings with heat pumps
In order to address the climate challenge and reduce carbon emissions from buildings, there is growing
interest in electric heat pump technology to replace the use of gas or propane for space and water
heating. In Colorado, about 10% of total direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions are from residential and
commercial buildings, with about two-thirds of this from residential buildings.1 Further, most of the GHG
emissions from buildings are from space heating, with water heating, cooking, and clothes drying
accounting for a much smaller percentage of total fuel use and carbon emissions.
There are two main types of heat pumps for space heating of residential and commercial buildings -
“ground-source” and “air-source” heat pumps. Both significantly reduce carbon and other pollutant
emissions and are much more efficient compared to heating with gas or propane. Below, we discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of these two types of heat pumps and highlight the best applications for
each. Since there is already a lot of information available on ASHPs, the focus of this report is on
“geothermal” or GSHPs.
We mainly focus on Colorado’s market and its drillers and installers, tax credits, and grants -- although
much of the information also applies to other states. Also, the focus of this report is on heat pump
systems for new buildings. Retrofits of existing buildings with GSHPs are possible but are generally
significantly more expensive. We highlight some successful Colorado examples and make some
recommendations for how to increase the adoption of this technology for the most cost-effective
applications.
Comparison of ground- and air-source heat pumps
GSHPs use sealed underground water pipe loops to pull energy from the ground to heat buildings in
winter and push heat from the buildings back into the ground in the summer to cool them. The
boreholes to circulate the water underground and back to the surface can either be vertical or
horizontal.2
In this report we focus on operating costs and first costs for vertical loop fields because the vast majority
of homes and commercial buildings in Colorado do not have the land area necessary for horizontal loop
fields. If a homeowner or building owner has land available for a horizontal loop and low-cost access to
equipment or contractors to excavate and fill trenches, then the savings for a GSHP installation can be
significant. However, for a residential horizontal loop, you typically need 1+ acres of land; this can vary
due to the lower thermal conductivity of unconsolidated soils.
1 “Colorado GHG Emissions Inventory,” CO Dept. of Public Health and Environment,
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/environment/air-pollution/climate-change/GHG-inventory. In addition to the direct
GHG emissions from fuel use, commercial and residential buildings consume 73% percent of electricity generated,
and electricity generation accounts for 24% of the total direct GHG emissions.
2 There is also growing interest in geothermal electricity generation, which relies on high-temperature fluids found
beneath the earth’s surface in some locations. See the U.S. Department of Energy’s Geothermal Electricity
Generation website.
104
4
Vertical Loop Field 3 Horizontal Loop Field 4
There are two other possible GSHP loop types: 1) surface water pond or lake loops; and 2) open well
water loops. Since it is very rare in Colorado to have the conditions needed for these, our paper does
not discuss them.
ASHPs, on the other hand, pull energy from the outside air to heat buildings in the winter and push heat
back outside in the summer to cool them. There are numerous studies of the benefits of ASHPs.5 All the
major utilities in Colorado offer significant rebates for ASHPs, and they are becoming increasingly
accepted as replacements for home central air-conditioning (AC) systems, while offering the benefit of
both heating and cooling.
There are also increasing applications of ASHPs in commercial buildings. The following table highlights
the common types of heating/cooling systems in buildings (new proposed buildings or existing building
retrofits) and the electrification/heat pump alternatives.6
3 https://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/geothermal_heat_pumps/components/
4 https://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/geothermal_heat_pumps/components/.
5 For example, “Benefits of Heat Pumps for Colorado Homes,” SWEEP, February 2022,
https://www.swenergy.org/directory/co-heat-pump-study-feb-2022/; and “Benefits of Heat Pumps for Southwest
Homes, SWEEP, May 2022, https://www.swenergy.org/directory/sw-heat-pump-study-may-2022/.
6 Decarbonizing HVAC and Water Heating in Commercial Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy,
November 2021; VRF Heat Pump Systems Vs. Mini-Split Vs. Multi-Split – Explained - BlocPower,
BlocPower, August 2022; Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems and Technology, Mitsubishi, August
2023.
,
105
5
🗲🗲 ASHP options for commercial buildings
Standard
heating/cooling System
ASHP options
Gas-fired packaged rooftop
units (RTUs)
1. Heat pump RTU: Most major manufacturers offer ASHP RTUs in
capacities of 3-25 tons, with optional auxiliary heating provided by
electric resistance coils.
2. Dual-fuel heat pump RTU: A few manufacturers offer dual-fuel heat
pump RTUs which operate the heat pump to around 17°F and then switch
over to an integrated gas furnace for colder temperatures.
Split-system ACs and gas
furnaces
1. Ducted split system heat pump: Similar to residential systems, the AC
and gas furnace heating can be replaced with a ducted “split system”
ASHP. The furnace may continue to be utilized for back-up heating.
Ducted split system ASHPs are available for small commercial applications
from 6-20 ton capacities.
2. Ductless mini-split heat pump: The AC and gas furnace can be replaced
with a non-ducted ASHP (ductless mini-split). Typically, each outdoor unit
can provide heating or cooling to three or more indoor units within the
same zone.
3. Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pump system: VRF systems are a
more complex type of mini-split system. Mini-split systems can only
provide heating or cooling to all the indoor units within the same zone,
but VRF systems continually adjust the flow of the refrigerant to each
indoor unit to provide heating or cooling, as needed. If the building has
varying heating and cooling needs, these systems are very efficient, but
also more expensive. The indoor units can be ductless or have short ducts
(mini-ducts).
For buildings with low or medium temperature boilers and hydronic heating systems, there are more
limited options for ASHPs. For example, air-to-water heat pumps can be used, but they have limitations
on the water temperature achievable. Or mini-splits could be used in place of the hydronic system, but
this would require an expensive retrofit for an existing building.
Below we discuss some advantages and disadvantages of ground-source versus air-source heat pumps.
Energy efficiency
GSHPs draw heat energy out of the earth during the winter to heat buildings. On the Colorado Front
Range and Western Slope, the earth temperature around the subsurface loops is 50-55°F, and in the
high country the earth temperature is lower, such as 35-45°F. Over the course of the winter, as the
home or building continues to pull heat from the earth, the earth in the vicinity of the borehole cools
and its temperature decreases, resulting in lower fluid temperatures in the ground loop. Through proper
sizing and design of the looping system, the objective for a closed loop GSHP system is to maintain an
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entering water temperature to the heat pump in a range that is acceptable for reliable operation and
sufficient capacity to meet the building’s heating (and cooling) loads.7
Because they rely on the higher and more consistent earth temperatures throughout the winter (as
opposed to the air temperatures), GSHPs are more energy efficient than ASHPs. Coefficient of
performance (COP) is a measure of energy efficiency (higher COPs are more efficient). In the Colorado
Front Range, the COP of a GSHP over a winter typically ranges from 3.5-4.5, whereas the COP of an
efficient ASHP system typically ranges from 1.5-3.5 over the course of a winter.8 However, for ASHP
systems, choosing a properly sized, efficient cold-climate rated heat pump system is critical in order to
minimize the size and use of backup electric resistance heating (or backup gas or propane) for the
coldest weather. Backup heating is less of an issue with GSHPs, as discussed below.
However, GSHPs require more energy to pump the water through the loops, which partially offsets their
higher efficiencies. The pumping energy as a proportion of the total energy use for an individual
installation can add anywhere from 5% to 20% to the total energy consumption (with the lower
percentages in this range mainly applying to heating, and the higher percentages to cooling).9 For
commercial buildings, ASHP systems with VRF (ASHP-VRF) are more efficient than standard ASHP
systems, and depending upon building load diversity, they can approach GSHP efficiencies.
Life of equipment
There is not a lot of actual data on how long heat pumps last. However, based on ASHRAE (American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and manufacturers’ estimates and
some data for central AC systems in hot climates, which are very similar to ASHPs, we expect residential
ASHPs to last about 15 years on average (with a range of 13-17 years). We expect residential hybrid
ASHP/furnace systems to last 18-20 years and commercial ASHP systems to last 15-20 years. Because
GSHPs can be located inside buildings, we estimate them to have a longer life-span, such as 20-25
years.10
Grid impacts
In addition to being more efficient, GSHPs offer the potential added benefit of adding less electricity
demand than ASHPs in the coldest weather. For example, for a home with a whole house ASHP and no
backup furnace, there will be some additional electricity load during the coldest days. Even if the heat
7 Terry Proffer, Major Heating, personal communication, January 2, 2024, tproffer@gomajornow.com.
8 GSHP values are based on efficiency ratings from manufacturers based on typical entering water temperature
(EWT) for Colorado loop designs. For ASHP values, see:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj8kfjlrMKDAxVoD0QIHUHN
DZUQFnoECCEQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrel.gov%2Fdocs%2Ffy23osti%2F85081.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0deL3Y
wHAf_b1-ceJGq9dK&opi=89978449.
9
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiqhf6rl7qCAxXkHjQIHcVhA
CUQFnoECEIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aceee.org%2Ffiles%2Fproceedings%2F2000%2Fdata%2Fpapers%2FS
S00_Panel10_Paper10.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3PsCyh30G1TFAK4onevnNF&opi=89978449.
10 For example, commercial water-air GSHP units are projected to have a service life of 24+ years. See Chapter 37,
2015 ASHRAE Handbook, Table 4, Comparison of Service Life Estimates (for various types of mechanical
equipment).
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pump is a cold-climate heat pump, properly designed to handle the full heating load of the building at
the design temperature, there will be a few days of the year during which the heating load exceeds the
heat pump’s capacity. On these days, the backup electric resistance heating may add an additional ~8
kilowatts (kW) of load to the home’s heating power needs (for an average size home). However, cold-
climate ductless “mini-split” ASHP systems are able to heat to lower outdoor temperatures than whole
house ducted systems and generally require less backup heating. In Appendix B, we provide more details
on backup heating needs. Our estimates for backup electric heating needs are summarized in the table
below.
🗲🗲 Backup electric heating needs
Heat pump system 3-4 ton home 5 ton home
ASHP – ducted 3-8 kW 6-10 kW
ASHP – ductless 3-6 kW 6-9 kW
GSHP 3-5 kW 5-7 kW
Because of the relatively steady and warmer temperatures of the earth and underground fluids in the
loops, a GSHP system will be able to efficiently provide the home’s heating needs down to very cold
outdoor temperatures with very little electric resistance backup, and its electricity use will be less than
ASHPs at cold temperatures.
In addition to energy demand on the grid, heat pump systems can have an impact on the distribution
infrastructure at the building (electrical panel size) and transformer levels. Therefore, GSHPs offer
additional value, for both the building owner and the utility, from less additional winter peak demand
relative to ASHP systems.
Initial costs
On the other hand, geothermal heat pump systems cost significantly more than ASHPs. For a new single-
family home of about 2,500 square feet, we estimate a cold-climate ASHP system with electric strip
backup would cost about $25,000. For a GSHP system for the same home, the cost of the heat pump
equipment and pumps would be slightly less than the cost of the ASHP system – about $20,000.
However, the cost of installing the underground piping system for the geothermal system is about
$45,000 on average, so the GSHP system would cost about $40,000 more than the ASHP system initially,
which is a steep cost to overcome. We analyze the life-cycle costs for single-family homes in more detail
in a later section of this report.
Summary
For small commercial stand-alone buildings (“small” meaning with six tons or less of heating capacity),
ASHPs will tend to be more cost-effective in “mild” climates such as Climate Zones 5 and lower. For
medium and large commercial buildings, ASHP-VRF systems, mentioned in the previous section, are an
excellent, cost effective technology to be considered in addition to GSHPs. For medium-size and larger
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commercial buildings in Climate Zones 5 or higher, GSHPs may generally be cost-competitive compared
to ASHP or ASHP-VRF systems, and GSHPs will have the potential advantages of slightly lower energy
consumption, GHG emissions, and grid impacts.11 12
Commercial buildings GSHP applications
We estimate that in the past five years, there have been about 5-10 non-residential GSHP projects
installed annually in Colorado, covering a variety of commercial building types. This is based on a
compilation of projects from one of the larger GSHP designers in Colorado, summarized in the Table
below.13
🗲🗲 Colorado commercial GSHP projects
Type of building No. of projects (2019-23)
High Country Front Range
Housing development 3 1
Government buildings 5 4
Medical facilities 1 1
Education facilities, K-12 through university
7
Commercial 1 2
Community Service 1
Total 11 15
Total heating capacity (tons) 1357
3772
Below we present a few examples of successful GSHP projects (and one new project under construction)
involving larger commercial buildings and networks of buildings.14
11 These are our general recommendations, partially based on our analysis in the Residential Applications section.
Further research is needed to clarify which are the most cost-effective GSHP applications compared to ASHP or
ASHP-VRF technologies.
12 As stated above, we are mainly focusing in this report on new buildings and homes; but GSHPs would also make
sense for existing commercial buildings with radiant heating, because ASHPs don’t perform as well in air-water
applications.
13 Terry Proffer, Major Heating, personal communication, December 8, 2023, tproffer@gomajornow.com.
14 More examples of Colorado geothermal projects can be found here: https://www.cogeothermal.com/gallery/.
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Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction established a goal to be the first American university
to be fully heated and cooled by a geothermal heat pump system. The initial geothermal system was
installed at CMU in 2007, with a central loop serving four new buildings and one existing building. The
system was paid for using funds from the university’s annual budgets. Since then, there have been many
additions, and currently, the geothermal loop system includes 3.5 miles of piping and serves 17 buildings
(just over half of the university’s buildings) in an area occupying about half of a square mile. More
additions are being planned for 2024 and will leverage grants from the State of Colorado and Inflation
Reduction Act tax credits.15 The current system includes seven well fields, which circulate water and
ethylene glycol at a constant 54°F year-round. Heat pumps and other equipment provide the heating
and cooling needs of individual campus buildings. The CMU geothermal exchange system has been well-
documented and is an example for college campuses nation-wide.16
One feature of the campus system, which is an advantage compared to a geothermal system serving a
group of homes, is that some buildings have excess heat that can be efficiently transferred to other
buildings that need heat, making the overall system much more efficient than one in which all buildings
need to provide heating or cooling at the same time. For example, the initial system was designed to use
about 200 feet of piping per ton of heating (or cooling), and now the system only requires 89 feet of
piping per ton.17 The CMU geothermal system also achieves high levels of efficiency for both heating and
cooling, with coefficients of performance ranging from 3.1-6.1.18 (The system achieves higher
efficiencies (higher COPs) for heating or cooling during milder weather, and lower COPs during very hot
or very cold weather.)
Gunnison County
Over the last seven years, Gunnison County on Colorado’s West Slope has constructed two new
buildings with geothermal heat pump systems and retrofitted three existing buildings using geothermal
systems, using a variety of funding sources.
Existing buildings:
● Health and Human Services building – 11,600 square feet (SF)
● Blackstock government building – 26,200 SF
● Airport terminal – 48,000 SF
New buildings:
● County courthouse – 45,900 SF
● Library – 15,000 SF
15 Cary Smith, Sound Geothermal, personal communication, November 30, 2023, dcsmith@soundgt.com.
16 “Geo-Grid System,” Colorado Mesa University, https://www.coloradomesa.edu/sustainability/initiatives/geo-
grid.html.
17 Cary Smith, Sound Geothermal, personal communication, November 30, 2023, dcsmith@soundgt.com.
18 Hyunjun Oh and Koenraad Beckers, “Cost and Performance Analysis for Five Existing Geothermal Heat Pump-
Based District Energy Systems in the United States,” National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/86678.pdf.
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The Health and Human Services building and the Blackstock government building are connected to the
same geothermal system; all the others have a separate geothermal system for each building. To pay for
the geothermal systems and other building improvements, the County assembled an impressive package
of funding, taking advantage of a combination of sources:19
● Local taxpayer-approved funding and annual budgets. Gunnison County residents voted in 2019
on how their tax dollars would be spent for a new library building on donated acres of land, and
the results came back with strong public support to make the building all-electric. That tax
funding, combined with a $1 million endowment from the rancher who donated the land,
became the main source of funding for the library project. In addition, the County
Commissioners approved using some of the County’s annual budget for building improvements.
● Energy performance contracts. The Blackstock building renovation was funded through an
energy performance contract, which uses the project’s ongoing savings to gradually pay for the
upfront costs.
● Lease-purchase agreements. Lease purchase agreements or Certificates of Participation are a
finance mechanism available to local governments. This mechanism was used to finance
improvements at Blackstock and the Courthouse.
● State grant funding. Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has a grant program for local
government and community projects, funded with sales taxes from energy extraction
companies. The DOLA grant cycle is typically twice a year and can help cover the gap between
internal cash flow and funding from energy performance contracts.
Town of Carbondale
With the help of a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Town of Carbondale is
exploring the design and costs for a geothermal heat pump loop system to serve a group of buildings in
downtown Carbondale. The loop could potentially serve several new and existing buildings, including
the community center, a town administration building, the high school, the library, and multiple
townhouses and condominiums. The project is being coordinated by Clean Energy Economy for the
Region (CLEER), a nonprofit organization based in Carbondale, with input from the Town of Carbondale.
The project is being designed by Grey Edge Group, a geothermal system design company with an office
in Montrose, Colorado. CLEER is also applying for a second DOE grant, which could pay for up to 80% of
the project costs.20
Best commercial applications
Given the current GSHP looping supply constraints, discussed in more detail in the section on market
development, we recommend that GSHP programs focus on non-residential market applications of the
types shown below. This will help establish an annual GSHP installation demand in a set of larger
19 “Gunnison Does Away with Gas,” SWEEP, May 2023, https://www.swenergy.org/gunnison-does-away-with-gas/.
20 “A Colorado town wants to use geothermal energy to heat and cool a section of its downtown core,” Mark Jaffe,
Colorado Sun, December 5, 2023, https://coloradosun.com/2023/12/05/geothermal-heat-cooling-carbondale-
colorado-grant/.
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applications, which will support the growth of GSHP looping businesses. Specifically, we recommend
focusing programs and support on these applications:
● Schools (K-12)21 and college/university buildings 22
● Local and state government buildings (medium-size or larger)
● New home developments or mixed-use developments
The first two types of applications above are well established within the industry.23 The third one,
geothermal networks for new home developments or mixed use developments,24 is an area with a lot of
potential and growing interest nationally. Networks of this type could be explored by local governments,
with the help of grants from the state or federal government, as in the Carbondale example above.
Another exciting possibility is for gas or electric utilities to obtain authorization through legislation or
state PUC rules to provide the financing for these types of geothermal networks. The utilities could be
allowed to earn a return on their investment through monthly fees to the building owners, such as over
a 20-year period. If shown to be cost-effective,25 geothermal networks could provide a new revenue
source for gas utilities, while avoiding new gas piping infrastructure for new developments and
contributing to state climate goals for the buildings sector.26 In Colorado, gas utilities are required by
law to implement “Clean Heat Plans,” and geothermal networks are an excellent option for meeting a
portion of their emission reduction requirements.
Residential geothermal heat pump applications and modeling
The residential GSHP market was first established in Colorado in the late 1990s and has been a mix of
new and retrofit projects for early technology adopters, with annual installations of a few hundred per
year.27 With increased awareness and financial support in the past few years, the residential industry is
slowly growing in the new home market, with the customer base branching out beyond early adopters.
However, a parallel and competing trend is that over the past 15 years, ASHP efficiencies have improved
21 Geothermal Heat Pumps Score High Marks in Schools, Office of Geothermal Technologies, September 1998.
22 “To Slash Carbon Emissions, Colleges are Digging Really Deep,” New York Times, January 23, 2024.
23 However, as mentioned above, further research would be useful to clarify which are the most cost-effective
commercial building GSHP applications.
24 Note that networks of new homes would not have the advantage of load diversity, which a mixture of building
types might offer, improving the overall efficiency of the system. On the other hand, if each home has its own
separate GSHP, the system controls would be much simpler than for a more robust system, such as the Colorado
Mesa University example above.
25 The life-cycle cost analyses should include the social cost of carbon emissions, and include all rebates and tax
credits available for GSHP systems.
26 For more information on this topic, see “Networked Geothermal: A Warm Solution for a Cooler Planet,”
University of Colorado, Masters of the Environment Graduate Program Capstone project, February 2024,
forthcoming.
27 Dan Rau, Colorado Geothermal, personal communication, December 8, 2023, dan@cogeothermal.com.
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by more than 30%,28 significantly reducing the efficiency gap between ASHPs and GSHPs. ASHP heating
capacities in cold temperatures have also improved, widening their geographic viability.
To clarify the question of whether GSHPs make sense for single-family homes in Colorado, and if so, at
what size of home, we conducted some modeling and analysis. We compared the total costs for GSHPs
versus ASHPs for two sizes of residential single-family homes, in several Colorado climate zones and
near-surface geological conditions. Below we describe the main assumptions, highlight the results, and
provide a summary of the main findings at the end of the section. We also provide more details on the
modeling parameters in Appendix A.
Annual heating and cooling cost modeling
For the heating and cooling costs, we modeled several different scenarios and climate zones in
Colorado. The map below shows the heating/cooling climate zones for Colorado.
We present modeling results here for the following climate zones:
● Climate Zone 5 – Denver and eastern Colorado
● Climate Zone 6 – Eagle County
28 “Evolution of the Heat Pump,” Amana, https://www.amana-hac.com/resources/hvac-learning-center/hvac-
101/heat-pump-history-and-generations-evolution.
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Note that Climate Zone 5 in western Colorado is very similar to Denver and eastern Colorado. Grand
Junction has a slightly milder climate than Denver. The energy use and cost for Grand Junction would be
~3% less than the Denver modeled results.29
The following climate zones were not specifically modeled but results would be similar to the modeled
zones:
● Climate Zone 4 in the southeast corner of the state: both the climate and ground temperature
conditions in that corner of the state are more favorable than Climate Zone 5, so they can
anticipate 10-20% lower operating costs for either GSHPs or ASHPs.
● Climate Zones 7 and 8 present several challenges for both GSHP and ASHP systems that drive up
the costs, including a) higher elevations that reduce the capacity of both GSHP and ASHP
systems, b) harsh climate conditions requiring more operating hours below 0°F, and c) lower
earth subsurface temperatures that contribute to larger loop field requirements. Because of
these challenges, for these zones we recommend ASHP systems with gas or propane
supplemental heating. Assuming continued evolution of ASHP technology, the need for gas or
propane supplemental heating will probably be unnecessary when homeowners are ready to
replace their ASHP systems in 15 years.
The table below shows the assumed efficiencies of the three types of HVAC systems we modeled. We
chose these efficiencies because they represent a similar level of efficiency for the three types of HVAC
systems – above-average but representative of several brands that are readily available.
🗲🗲 Efficiencies of HVAC equipment modeled
Type of HVAC system Efficiency of heating and cooling
Gas furnace and AC 95% AFUE, 18 SEER
Cold-climate ASHP – ductless 10.5 HSPF, 18 SEER30
GSHP 3.7 COP, 18.2 EER
29 Climate Zone 5 also includes a sub-zone, “5a,” which includes the Front Range foothills in the 6,500 - 8,500’
elevation range (e.g., Estes Park, Nederland, Evergreen, Aspen Park, Woodland Park). This sub-zone is not
identified on official climate zone maps, but its elevation and climate requires systems with higher capacities than
Climate Zone 5 (but not quite as high as Climate Zone 6). The operating and installation costs are between Climate
Zone 5 and Climate Zone 6.
30 For this system, we assume it is properly sized and will need very modest backup electric strip heating, as
described in more detail in Appendix B.
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Detailed modeling parameters are provided in Appendix C. The models consider any backup heating
required for the various systems. Note that energy costs do not vary with soil conditions, only with
location and climate zone. The annual heating and cooling costs below are based on homes with four- or
five-ton heating loads. Four-ton was selected because that is the maximum house load that can be
heated with the largest single unit residential ASHPs currently on the market. A new home with a four-
ton heating load would be about 2,800 square feet in size, slightly larger than the average new home.
🗲🗲 Residential energy prices
Energy Prices 31 Price ($) Date
Winter gas ($/therm) $1.277 Average winter
2022-23
Winter electricity
($/kWh)
$0.1402 January 2023
Summer electricity
($/kWh)
$0.1443 August 2023
🗲🗲 Summary of energy modeling for four- and five-ton Homes
Annual Energy Costs ($)
Gas furnace and AC ASHP GSHP
Location and size of
home
Heating Cooling Heating Cooling Heating Cooling
Denver 4-ton $1,553 $174 $1,356 $171 $1,182 $173
Denver 5-ton $1,884 $210 $1,658 $222 $1,419 $214
Eagle 4-ton (4.2) $2,122 $107 $1,862 $99 $1,579 $94
Eagle 5-ton (5.3) $2,638 $124 $2,270 $134 $1,985 $124
Key highlights from our analysis are:
31 Residential energy prices are taken from the Energy Information Administration (EIA),
https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data.php and https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/data.php.
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● Heating costs for the cold-climate ASHP are about 12-14% less than for the gas furnace for both
Denver and Eagle, for both sizes of homes.
● Heating costs for the GSHP are about 10-15% less than for the ASHP, for both Denver and Eagle,
for both sizes of homes.
It is important to note that the differences in annual heating costs between an ASHP system and a GSHP
system can have a larger range than above, depending upon the selection and design of HVAC systems,
especially the ASHP systems. For example, a GSHP system will reduce the annual heating bill by as little
as 5-10% over an ASHP system with an HSPF of 12, and by as much as 20-25% over an ASHP with an
HSPF of 9.5.
The total annual cooling costs in Denver during a normal year are less than 15% of the annual heating
costs, and only about 6% of annual heating costs in Eagle. The annual cooling costs for the AC, ASHP, and
GSHP are almost the same, varying only by a few percent. The expectation that GSHPs should have a
much lower cooling cost is offset by two factors: 1) in Colorado much of the cooling is at outdoor air
temperatures below 85F where ASHP cooling is very efficient, and 2) the loop pumping energy for GSHP
systems offsets much of the cooling efficiency advantage. For outdoor temperatures above the mid-80s,
the GSHP cooling advantage offsets the pumping energy, and the GSHP cooling costs will be slightly less
than for the ASHP.
System first cost comparisons
In this section, we present estimates of the range of drilling and HVAC system costs, focusing on new
homes. (Geothermal heat pump retrofits of existing homes are much more challenging, for numerous
reasons.)
Drilling costs
For GSHPs, there are several key drivers of the wide variation of drilling and installation costs across
Colorado. These key drivers are:
● Effect of near-surface site geology on the loop field size
● Effect of near-surface site geology on drilling risks
● Loop field and indoor unit location
● Mobilization costs
The loop field is designed and sized so that the fluid coming into the GSHP unit never goes below a
certain temperature in the coldest portion of the winter. The colder the accepted design temperature,
the smaller the loop field, but the lower the efficiency and capacity of the heat pump system.
Considering this tradeoff, for Colorado a good loop design temperature is in the mid-30s°F (~35°F).
The other factor contributing to determining the loop field size is the average ground temperature in the
range of the loop field depth (200-400 feet). The colder the average annual temperature, which is
reflected in a colder average subsurface ground temperature, the larger the loop that is required. The
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average annual sub-surface temperature in Denver is ~6°F higher than in Eagle, which accounts for the
loop field depth differences between Eagle and Denver shown in the table below.
The table below is a specific example of the impact of the geology and location on the loop sizes for our
models for three of the common ASHRAE geologic classifications for design.32 As shown, depending
upon the geology, the loop field size (number and depth of boreholes) can vary by a factor of two. The
table reflects the same hours of heating for a home located in Denver or Eagle. The home heating design
load is slightly different for each because of the design temperatures shown.
🗲🗲 Geology and loop field size
Location (design
temperature)
ASHRAE subsurface geology
classification
Home heating load
(tons)
Number of
boreholes
Depth of
boreholes
(ft)
Denver (-1°F) Average rock 4 3 250
Denver (-1°F) Heavy damp 4 4 277
Denver (-1°F) Light damp 4 5 300
Eagle (-5°F) Average rock 4.2 5 263
Eagle (-5°F) Heavy damp 4.2 6 341
Eagle (-5°F) Light damp 4.2 8 354
Even with detailed geology maps, drillers never know the exact conditions they will encounter until they
start the loop field. Here are a few examples of the risk and variability that can drive up drilling costs:
● Low risk: consolidated shales from top to bottom of the borehole, with lower thermal
conductivity values.
● Low risk: granite and other metamorphic rocks in the high country, with higher thermal
conductivity values.
● High risk/high cost: foothills transition zones throughout the state. Varying unconsolidated soils
with boulders intermixed with rock layers. Thermal conductivity values can range from poor to
good.
32These three ASHRAE geologic classifications are: 1) Average/Sedimentary Rocks: shale, sandstone etc.; 2) Heavy,
Damp Soils: clay-rich soils with some moisture but not below the water table; and 3) Light Damp Soils: clay/sand
mixed soils with some moisture but not below the water table.
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Because of the factors noted above, the GSHP loop field installation cost has a wide range. The cost
estimates below are prior to any tax credits or rebates. Note that the loop and equipment costs can vary
by +/- 10% from the estimate in the table depending upon the local HVAC market. On the Front Range
the loop prices will tend to be in the middle to low end of the range, while in the high country they will
tend to be in the middle to high end of the range.
🗲🗲 Range of loop costs for new homes
New home size (SF) Heating load
(tons)
Loop cost -
low
Loop cost -
high
2,800 4 $35,000 $56,000
3,500 5 $43,750 $70,000
4,200 6 $52,500 $84,000
4,800 7 $61,250 $98,000
5,500 8 $70,000 $112,000
HVAC system costs
As mentioned above, for the ASHP system, we chose an efficient cold-climate mini-split system. The
largest available residential ASHP pumps have a standard rating of 4.5 tons (54,000 British thermal units
(Btu)/hour (hr)), but for applications in Colorado these heat pumps have an effective capacity about 20%
less than this rating, or about 43,000 Btu/hr or 3.5 tons. We estimate the initial cost of this system to be
as shown in the table below. Homes with a heating load of five tons will require two ASHP systems,
which makes the initial costs for the five-ton ASHP system significantly higher. The five-ton home only
requires one GSHP system, because higher capacities of GSHP systems are available.33
33 The largest available residential GSHP pumps have a standard rating of 6 tons (72,000 Btu/hr). For applications in
Colorado, these heat pumps have an effective capacity in the 5-6 ton range. For homes with loads of six tons or
greater, you will generally need two or more systems for both the ASHP and GSHP options. However, for these
larger homes, the price range is wide, and it is very difficult to make generalized pricing assumptions.
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Total life-cycle costs
In the tables below, we summarize the life-cycle costs for GSHPs versus ASHPs.34
🗲🗲 Life-cycle costs of GSHPs vs. ASHPs for Denver/Front Range
Type of cost 4-ton home 5-ton home
ASHP GSHP ASHP GSHP
Initial cost
- Equipment $28,000 $20,000 $40,000 $22,000
- Drilling (weighted avg. of low
and high)35
0 $42,000 0 $52,500
Total initial cost $28,000 $62,000 $40,000 $74,500
Total initial cost (after tax credits
and rebates)
$22,100 $41,000 $33,600 $49,400
Net Present Value (NPV) of
equipment replacement costs
(after 15 years for ASHPs, 22
years for GSHPs)36
$13,470 $6,840 $19,240 $7,520
Energy costs
- Annual Energy Costs (heating
and cooling)
$1,527 $1,355 $1,880 $1,633
- NPV of energy costs (25
years)37
$21,520 $19,100 $26,500 $23,010
NPV of total costs (25 years) $57,090 $66,930 $79,340 $79,930
34 We did not include the “standard HVAC” system in this comparison. But we have compared the initial costs of
the standard system versus ASHPs for single-family homes and found the costs to be nearly the same. See
https://loveelectric.org/for-builders-developers/.
35 These are based on the range of drilling costs shown in the previous table. For Denver/Front Range, we
calculated the weighted average, giving the lower end of the range twice as much weight as the high end, and for
Eagle, we weighted the high end twice as much as the lower end.
36 For ASHP systems, we assume the equipment needs to be replaced after 15 years, while we expect the GSHP
equipment to last about 22 years. We used a discount rate of 5%. The GSHP equipment lasts somewhat longer
because it is housed inside the building, facing less extreme temperatures.
37 Again, using a 5% discount rate and no energy price escalation beyond inflation.
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🗲🗲 Life-cycle costs of GSHPs vs. ASHPs for Eagle
Type of Cost 4-ton Home 5-ton Home
ASHP GSHP ASHP GSHP
Initial cost
- Equipment $28,000 $20,000 $40,000 $22,000
- Drilling (weighted average
of low and high)
0 $49,000 0 $61,250
Total initial cost $28,000 $69,000 $40,000 $83,250
Total initial cost (after tax
credits and rebates)
$22,100 $45,900 $33,600 $55,525
NPV of equipment
replacement costs (after 15
yrs for ASHPs, 22 years for
GSHPs)
$13,470 $6,840 $19,240 $7,520
Energy costs
- Annual energy costs
(heating and cooling)
1,961 1,673 2,404 2,109
- NPV of energy costs (25
years)
$27,640 $23,580 $33,880 $29,720
NPV of total costs (25 years) $63,210 $76,320 $86,720 $92,770
For Denver/the Front Range, as shown above, for the four-ton home, the total life-cycle costs for the
ASHP system are lower than the costs for the GSHP system (by ~16%); while for the five-ton home, the
total life-cycle costs of the GSHP system are about the same (within 1%). (Note that all our cost
estimates are only accurate within about 5-10%.) Also note that the rebates and tax credits for GSHPs
are much more generous, which helps make the total costs for the homeowner closer to those for
ASHPs.
For a home in Eagle, even for the five-ton home, the GSHP system has higher life-cycle costs than the
ASHP system (by ~6%), because of the higher drilling costs in the high country. It would take a slightly
larger home, perhaps with at least six tons of heating demand, for the GSHP system to be cost-effective
in the high country.
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GHG emission reduction benefits of GSHPs
In the table below, we provide the calculated GHG emissions for the gas furnace and AC, ASHP, and
GSHP systems, for both four- and five-ton homes, for Denver/Front Range. Largely because of the
transition of Colorado’s power generation to renewable resources over the next 16-20 years,38 the GHG
emission reductions for both ASHPs and GSHPs are 69-73% compared to emissions for the gas furnace
home.39 The additional GHG emission reductions for GSHPs compared to ASHPs (3-4%) are not very
significant, especially compared with the total life-cycle costs. As shown, from a societal point of view,
the cost of the GHG emissions reduced from GSHPs compared to ASHPs is very expensive, $2,300-$4,200
per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent.40
38 Colorado has set a goal to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2040. In practice, this may take slightly longer,
but all of Colorado’s major utilities, which account for over 90% of the state’s electricity generation, have plans to
achieve at least 80% GHG emission reductions by 2030.
39 We used projected electricity emission factors for Colorado from NREL, found here:
https://scenarioviewer.nrel.gov/?project=a3e2f719-dd5a-4c3e-9bbf-
f24fef563f45&mode=download&layout=Default. NREL offers several scenarios for projected emission factors, from
which we chose the average of two scenarios; the “mid-case 95 by 2035” and the “mid-case 95 by 2050.” In
addition, we chose the long-term marginal emission factors for these scenarios. We discuss these choices further
and provide these emission factors in Appendix D.
40 Note that the federal social cost of carbon, one indicator of the societal costs of GHG emissions, is currently only
about $83/metric ton of CO2e. See https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climatechange/social-cost-
carbon_.html. However, there are proposals to increase this to $190/metric ton of CO2e. See
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/climate/biden-social-cost-carbon-climate-change.html.
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🗲🗲 GHG emission reductions from GSHPs vs. ASHPs for Denver/Front Range
GHG emissions 4-ton home 5-ton home
Furnace
and AC
ASHP GSHP Furnace
and AC
ASHP GSHP
Heating therms 1,128
1,409
Annual heating and cooling
electricity consumption (kWh)
2,012 10,858 9,621 2,063 13,370 11,601
Total GHG emissions (metric tons
CO2e, 25 years)
158.9 49.6 43.9 196.5 61.1 53.0
Percentage reduction compared to
furnace
68.8% 72.4%
68.9% 73.0%
Emissions benefits for GSHP vs.
ASHP (metric tons CO2e, 25 years)
5.6
8.1
NPV of 25-year costs (with rebates
and credits)
$57,090 $66,000
$79,340 $78,910
NPV of 25-year costs (full costs
with no rebates)
$62,990 $87,000
$85,740 $104,010
Increased NPV costs for GSHP
$24,010
$18,270
Cost of emissions saved ($/metric
ton CO2e, full costs with no rebates
and credits)
$4,250
$2,260
Summary for single-family homes
For average-size single-family homes, those with heating loads of four tons or less, our analysis shows
that ASHPs have much lower initial costs, which more than offset the slightly higher heating and cooling
costs compared to GSHPs, resulting in a lower NPV cost over 25 years. For homes with heating loads of
five tons, approximately 3,500 square feet in size for Denver/Front Range (or slightly greater than five
tons for larger homes in the high country),41 homeowners that can afford the additional upfront costs of
41 The estimate of 3,500 square feet is based on a home that meets the 2021 IECC, which will be required in more
and more Colorado cities and counties as they update their building codes.
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the GSHP system should consider obtaining designs and contractor bids for both ASHP and GSHP
systems.
The GHG emissions for single-family homes with GSHPs are only slightly smaller than for homes with
ASHPs, especially compared to the large reduction in emissions for both heat pump technologies versus
homes heated with a gas furnace. Because of the small GHG emissions benefits of GSHPs compared to
ASHPs, in our opinion there is much less of a need for further state assistance regarding the residential
GSHP market, particularly given that there is already an abundance of tax credits and utility rebates for
GSHPs (see Appendix A).
GSHP market development challenges
GSHP drilling and installation businesses have had a niche presence in Colordao since the mid-1990s.
The annual demand for projects has mainly involved residential installations with a few larger
commercial projects. The GSHP loop supply chain and the market demand have been stable and in
balance with little overall annual growth. However, over the past five years, there has been an
increasing desire for growth in the industry, driven by greater awareness of GSHP technology, and by
the desire to achieve reduced GHG emissions from buildings.
The major challenge to developing a more impactful GSHP market in Colorado will be the need to
significantly expand the supply of vertical loop field installation contractors. Currently the backlog for
vertical loop installation is several months.42 At present, there are only six geothermal contractors who
are licensed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources to drill and install geothermal piping loops
as of April 2023:
1) Bertram, Dilling, Inc.
2) Can-America Drilling, Inc.
3) Colorado Geothermal Drilling
4) Just Geo Loops, Inc.
5) Panterra Energy
6) Standard Geothermal Solutions, LLC
The commercial GSHP market in Colorado is mainly served by Can-America Drilling, Colorado
Geothermal Solutions, and Panterra Energy, which are located on the eastern plains and Front Range. In
addition, there are only four vertical loop drilling operations outside of Colorado but within 500-1,000
miles, with the resources and experience to travel to Colorado for large commercial jobs.43 What’s
more, large mobilization and demobilization fees negatively impact the economics for these operators
to undertake projects in Colorado.
42 Dan Rau, Colorado Geothermal Drilling, personal communication, December 8, 2023, dan@cogeothermal.com;
Brian Fowler, GeoSource Distributors, personal communication, December 15, 2023,
brian.fowler@geosourcedistributors.com.
43 Dan Rau, Colorado Geothermal Drilling, personal communication, December 8, 2023, dan@cogeothermal.com;
Brian Fowler, GeoSource Distributors, personal communication, December 15, 2023,
brian.fowler@geosourcedistributors.com.
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Currently, a significant portion of GSHP activities in Colorado are focused on single-family homes on the
Front Range.44 Three of the above looping companies, Colorado Geothermal Drilling, Can-America
Drilling, and Standard Geothermal Solutions, work on residential GSHP systems.45 The first two mainly
focus on commercial GSHP projects and do residential projects as their schedules allow.46
Building an expanded workforce of GSHP drilling and looping specialists is the biggest challenge to
expanding the looping industry. Because of the complexities of the subsurface, the skills needed to
operate a GSHP drill rig can only be learned on the job. In addition to finding workers willing to do this
work, the costs and challenges of training and retraining workers can be significant.
The scope and complexity of a GSHP drilling operation is similar to water well operation, so there is
some potential for re-training of water well drillers. GSHP drilling is very different from oil and gas
drilling operations, so retraining those workers would be a bigger challenge.
In addition to the market and workforce challenges, there are financial and capital issues. We estimate
that the drill rigs and associated pumping and looping equipment needed to handle the wide variety of
geologic conditions in Colorado requires a minimum of $500,000 - $750,000 in capital for a residential
operation. For commercial operations, the capital requirements would be several times this amount.
While this might not seem like a large investment to start a business, the financing requires a minimum
consistent level of GSHP business throughout the year and over a several year period to ensure business
survival. The challenge that GSHP drilling and looping contractors have faced since 2000 is the overall
limited and sporadic nature of the GSHP market in Colorado. One factor in this weak demand has been
the historically low natural gas prices. However, with the growing interest in building electrification and
decarbonization and the influx of funding from the state and federal government, there are
opportunities to sustainably grow the GSHP market for commercial applications.
Conclusions and recommendations
Both ASHPs and GSHPs significantly reduce carbon emissions from the heating of residential and
commercial buildings compared to gas or propane heating. ASHPs have lower initial costs than GSHPs
and make sense for most single-family homes and many small- or medium-size commercial buildings.
GSHPs offer slightly better energy efficiency than ASHPs as well as slightly reduced GHG emissions, but
have higher initial costs because of the significant costs of drilling and installing the underground pipes.
Therefore, GSHPs will be more cost-effective and offer the greatest benefits for the following
applications:
● Schools (K-12) and college/university buildings
● Medium-size and larger commercial buildings
44 For example, in 2023 there were 108 GSHP loops constructed in Colorado, and more than half of these were
residential installations. See Colorado Division of Water Resources, Decision Support Systems Database, (provide
link)
45 Dan Rau, Colorado Geothermal Drilling, personal communication, December 8, 2023, dan@cogeothermal.com;
Brian Fowler, GeoSource Distributors, personal communication, December 15, 2023,
brian.fowler@geosourcedistributors.com.
46 Terry Proffer, Major Heating, personal communication, January 2, 2024, tproffer@gomajornow.com.
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● Geothermal networks for new home developments or a mix of residential and commercial
buildings
GSHP market development
Since there are currently only a few contractors that are completing these types of larger projects,
stakeholders will need to work together to support the required investment in equipment and workers
needed to increase the capacity of the GSHP drilling industry. Growing the commercial drilling and
looping industry and equipment installation supply chain in Colorado, focusing on the priority
applications listed above, will take sustained leadership from the CEO, in collaboration with the
Colorado Geothermal Energy Advisory Group, utilities, and the investment community. We recommend
that the CEO and the Geothermal Advisory Group explore the following strategies:
Front Range/Eastern Plains. For commercial projects on the Front Range or eastern plains, we suggest
exploring three approaches to expand GSHP industry capacity:
1) Hold discussions with Can-America, Panterra, and Bertram Drilling to understand and
determine the required annual revenue from GSHP commercial projects that will be required for
them to expand their presence in Colorado.
2) Collaborate with utilities and investors to develop a sustainable business model for large scale
commercial looping operations, either as utility-owned subsidiaries or new businesses with
adequate financial and focused market support.
3) Work with the CWWCA and the ~30 water well contractors on the Front Range and eastern
plains to present the opportunity and encourage a few members to grow into the GSHP loop
business with capabilities to take on medium to large commercial projects.
High Country. In the high country, the challenge is complicated by the additional geologic risks
associated with drilling and the shortened looping season (6-7 months versus 10-11 months on the Front
Range). We suggest working with the CWWCA to develop a plan and investment strategy to encourage
and support a few members to grow their operations into the GSHP looping business focused on
medium-sized commercial jobs in some of the markets described below. There are currently ~15 water
well drilling companies in the high country. The equipment, cost, expertise, and complexity of water well
drilling and GSHP loop installation are in many ways similar and are complementary business endeavors.
CanAmerica drilling is a Colorado company that has been operating under this dual business strategy for
at least 20 years. This is the most likely avenue to expand GSHP capacity in the high country.
State grant programs
As described above, there is already a generous amount of state funding and utility rebates for
geothermal heat pump systems for all types of applications. Because of limited capacity, we feel that the
limited state Geothermal Energy Grant Program funds should be focused on the following types of GSHP
projects:
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● Public schools, community colleges, and state universities
● Government buildings and complexes
● Nonprofit medical facilities
● Networks of new residential and commercial buildings
For large GSHP demonstration projects, we recommend the following process to ensure adequate
system performance:
● Independent design review prior to installation approval
● Post-installation performance testing validation
Other state support
The state PUC should encourage Colorado’s gas and electric utilities to complete demonstration projects
of geothermal networks for new home development (or other new building developments), and to
compare the life-cycle costs of the GSHP networks versus gas heating technology and gas piping
infrastructure for the buildings. If shown to be cost-effective, this would provide a new revenue stream
for gas utilities, while contributing to the state’s climate goals for the buildings sector.
Other GSHP applications, such as private colleges, medical facilities, or commercial buildings, do not
require additional funding other than the tax credits and utility rebates already available for developers.
However, we do encourage the CEO to provide ongoing non-financial support and to encourage
developers to undertake limited-risk projects to demonstrate the market potential. The goal of these
projects should be to identify which market applications will provide steady and adequate financial
opportunities over the next two decades to support the capital influx required to establish a strong
commercial looping industry capacity in Colorado.
As discussed above, we anticipate that the residential GSHP market will remain a niche market for large
single-family homes on the Front Range and in the high country. This market will continue to grow
organically via small GSHP businesses and therefore does not require additional state resources.
By focusing its resources on the most promising, cost-effective applications, Colorado can demonstrate
GSHPs’ contribution to the path toward more sustainable and lower carbon buildings. In doing so, we
can also set an example for other states.
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Appendices
Appendix A - Rebates, tax credits, and grants
There are a variety of utility, state, and federal rebates and incentives for geothermal heat pump
systems, for both commercial and residential buildings, which we summarize below.
Utility rebates
Many Colorado utilities provide rebates for new geothermal heat pump systems. For example, Xcel
Energy provides rebates of $600/ton for residential or commercial ground source heat pumps that meet
its minimum efficiency criteria.
State tax credits
The State of Colorado offers the following state tax credits for geothermal heat pump systems in 2024-
26 (with the rebate amounts decreasing gradually in subsequent years):47
🗲🗲 State tax credits
Type of building GSHP rebate amount
Residential - single-family $3,000 per home, of which $1,000 goes to the homeowner,
and $2,000 to the installer 48
Residential - multi-family $3,000 per unit
Commercial $3,000 for each 4 tons of heating capacity (e.g., $6,000 for
an 8-ton system)
State geothermal energy grant program
In addition to the state tax credits, the CEO is administering a state GSHP grant program based on
legislation passed in 2022.49 Building owners, developers of new buildings and others are eligible to
apply for grants for GSHP systems or geothermal networks for groups of buildings. The grants for GSHPs
are limited to the following amounts:
47 C.R.S. 39-22-554, https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2023A/bills/2023a_1272_rer.pdf.
48 Bryce Carter, personal communication, Colorado Energy Office, December 18, 2023, bryce.carter@state.co.us.
49 C.R.S. 24-38.5-118, https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2023A/bills/2023a_1252_rer.pdf.
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🗲🗲 Colorado geothermal heat pump grants
Type of building GSHP grant limit
Single-family home $2,000 per ton, up to $10,000 (5 tons)
Commercial or nonprofit organization $3,000 per ton, up to $300,000 (100 tons)
Commercial and business $2,000 per ton, up to $200,000 (100 tons)
Geothermal network for multiple buildings See section 4.b. of the legislation
Note that a homeowner or building owner could potentially take advantage of the state tax credit and
also apply for and obtain a state grant for a GSHP system.
Federal tax credit
Owners of new or existing homes or commercial buildings that install a geothermal heat pump system
can receive a federal tax credit for 30% of the cost of the GSHP, under Sections 25D (Residential) or 48.a.
(Commercial) of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Appendix B - Understanding heat pump capacities, sizing, and supplemental electric
heating
Heat pump capacities and ratings
The standard capacity labels for equipment are somewhat misleading for Colorado, which can lead to
inadequate design and sizing in many cases.
The standard term for communicating the size of a specific heat pump unit is tons (e.g., 1 ton = 12,000
Btu/hr, 3 tons = 36,000 Btu/hr, etc.). The tons are reflected in the serial number of the unit:
• Model 4TTZ0036A1000AA is a 3 ton unit
• Model 4TTZ0048A1000AA is a 4 ton unit
There are standard heating and cooling capacity ratings, certified by the American Heating and
Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), and additional standard capacity ratings provided by the manufactures of
GSHP and ASHP equipment.
GSHP capacity ratings
● AHRI capacity ratings: Provided for two entering water temperatures (EWTs) from the loop into
the heating unit:
○ 50°F
○ 32°F
● Additional capacity ratings are provided by most manufacturers, including for EWT of 40 F.
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ASHP capacity ratings
● AHRI capacity ratings: Provided for two outdoor air temperatures:
○ 47°F
○ 17°F
● Additional capacity ratings provided by most manufacturers of cold-climate ASHPs, for outdoor
air temperatures of:
○ 5°F
○ -13°F
Elevation effects on GSHP and ASPH capacities
Both ASHP and GSHP heat pump system capacities are rated at sea level. At higher elevations, because
thinner air has less capacity to hold heat, the capacities of ASHP and GSHP water-to air systems must be
adjusted down to reflect the capacity at the specific elevation of the home or building. In Colorado this
adjustment can range from 5% to 25%. For GSHPs and ASHPs that use radiant/hydronic systems, there is
also an adjustment but it is near zero for GSHP and less than 15% for ASPH systems. In the sizing
discussion below the elevation corrections to system capacities must be taken into account during
system design.
GSHP sizing for new homes
When sizing a GSHP system for a Colorado home or commercial building, designers and contractors
must:
1) Choose a GSHP unit with enough capacity (when the ground loop is sized to a minimum EWT of
~35F) to heat the home in the winter to at least -1°F in the front range and at least -5°F in the
high country.
2) Size the ground loop based on the building needs, geology and climate. In Colorado, ground
loops are designed to ensure the EWT into the unit is ~35°F in the winter, not 50°F (loops
designed for 50°F would be so large as to be economically impractical).
3) For the relatively few hours per year (less than 50) that the outdoor temperature goes below -
1°F or -5°F, decide whether to upsize the GSHP unit and loop or add some supplemental
auxiliary electrical heat. Normally it is more cost effective to add some supplemental auxiliary
heat.
ASHP sizing for new homes
1) Choose a cold-climate ASHP (inverter-driven unit) which has enough capacity to heat the home
in the winter to at least 0F in the front range and the high country.
2) For the relatively few hours per year (<100) that the outdoor temperature goes below 0°F, the
ASHP and supplemental electric, gas or propane heating will share the heating load. The
designer will need to determine the most cost-effective and operationally efficient balance
between how much to upsize the ASHP unit and how much supplemental heating capacity to
add.
3) Compensate for altitude.
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GSPH and ASPH sizing for existing homes
The process for existing homes is generally the same as for new homes (above), with two key points that
normally will change the sizing strategies.
1) Homes/buildings with existing duct systems were designed to heat the home with furnace
heating. Furnace air (130-140°F) is much warmer than heat pump system air (95-100°F). Duct
systems that were designed for furnaces are large enough to provide full house heating down to
an outdoor temperature typically in the range of 15-20°F when used with a heat pump system.
Below that temperature range, the duct system is normally inadequate for full heating with a
heat pump system. If upgrading the duct system is not feasible, the ASHP or GSHP can be sized
to heat the home to 10-20°F outdoor temperature, and the supplemental backup system will
take more of the heating burden below that temperature range (this is still a relatively small
portion of the annual heating load; see Appendix E).
2) The existing home might have a limit on electric capacity such that it cannot support both a heat
pump system and electrical supplemental backup. In this case, a hybrid ASPH and furnace
system is a cost-effective solution.
Supplemental electric heat for ASHP and GSHP systems in new homes
When considering the need for electrical supplemental heating with GSHP or ASHP systems for new
homes, there are two common misconceptions:
1) GSHP systems don't need any electrical supplemental heating.
2) ASHP systems need excessive amounts of electrical supplemental heating that is burdensome to
the electrical system.
Heat pump systems are sized to fully meet the home heating needs at a design outdoor temperature, as
established by ASHRAE and the Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ACCA) for most cities and
towns in the U.S. For example, in Denver, that design temperature is -1°F (ASHRAE, 2017, 99.6%). A well-
designed heat pump system will fully heat the home to this temperature, -1°F, without any
supplemental heating.
However, there are several reasons why supplemental electrical heat is still needed for both ASHP and
GSHP systems. First, some electrical backup heat is required in the event there is a problem with the
heat pump compressor. The electrical backup provides some heat to the home to keep the home livable
(i.e. above freezing) should the compressor system ever break down and need repair.
The table below shows the electric strip heating requirements to keep the home above freezing when
the outdoor temperature is 12°F.
3 ton home 4 ton home 5 ton home
Electric heat required
(12°F outdoor, 33°F indoor)
3.5kW 4.5 kW 5.5kW
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For an ASHP system, in additional to the above, there is also a need for electrical strip for the following
reasons:
1) The heating requirement of the home at design temperature may require slightly more heat
than the closest heat pump system size can produce.
2) When the outdoor temperature drops below the design temperature, more heat is needed
to fully heat the home.
3) When ASHPs operate below the outdoor design temperature, they will lose some heating
capacity.
Heat pumps come in specific heating capacities (sizes), with increments of ½ ton:
● 3 ton - 36,000 btu/hr (fits homes with design needs of 36,000 - 39,000 btu/hr)
● 3.5 ton - 42,000 btu/hr (fits homes with design needs of 40,000 - 45,000 btu/hr)
● 4 ton - 48,000 btu/hr (fits homes with design needs of 46,000 - 51,000 btu/hr)
● 4.5 ton - 54,000 btu/hr (fits homes with design needs of 52,000 - 57,000 btu/hr)
○ Note that currently 4.5 ton is the largest ccASHP readily available on the market)
● 6 ton - 60,000 btu/hr (fits homes with design needs of 58,000 - 63,000 btu/hr)
Example. For an ASHP system for a home in the Denver area, here is an example illustrating the sizing of
supplemental electrical heat.
The heating load for this example home at -1°F is 44,000 Btu/hr.
The perfect match is a heat pump that will produce 44,000 Btu/hr at -1°F. It is rare to find a perfect
match. The goal is to find the closest match that is slightly under or slightly over the need. In this case, it
would be a 3.5 ton system that produces 42,000 Btu/hr at -1°F. Typically, if a designer can find a system
within 3000 btu/hr (¼ ton) of the design heating needs that is the best sizing, otherwise it’s best to jump
up one half ton.
Heating Design Load Shortage to meet with supplemental: 44,000 - 42,000 = 2,000 Btu/hr
In an average year the outdoor temperature in Denver will go below -1°F down to -13°F, for about 30-
50 hours. The heating need of this home at -13°F will be 17% more than the heating need at -1°F. Thus
at -13°F the heating need will be:
44,000 btu/hr * 1.17 = 51,480 Btu/hr
Extra heat required at -13°F to meet with supplemental: 51,480 - 44,000 = 7,480 Btu/hr
At an outdoor temperature of -13°F, ASHP systems have a lower heating capacity than at -1°F, even cold
climate units. This drop off will vary by equipment, but 25% is a typical number to use.
ASHP Extra heat required at -13°F from capacity shortage: 42,000 * .25 = 10,500 Btu/hr
For GSHPs, there is also a need for supplemental heating for the following reasons:
1) The heating requirement of the home at the design temperature may be slightly more than
the closest heat pump system size can produce.
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2) When the outdoor temperature goes below the design temperature, this requires additional
heat to fully heat the home.
For GSHPs, the loop can be enlarged beyond the normal design (i.e. to meet the home heating needs at
the standard outdoor design temperature) to meet the needs at the coldest outdoor temperature.
However, the additional loop added can be quite expensive to ensure heating for <50 hours per year
when a small additional amount of supplemental electrical heating (very inexpensive to add) can provide
the additional heating necessary.
The three types of shortages for the Denver example above are summarized in the table below.
🗲🗲 Summary of calculation of supplemental heating needed (4-ton home)
ASHP GSHP
Design shortage (Btu/hr) 2,000 2,000
Extra heat needed at -13°F 7,480 7,480
Capacity decrease at -13°F 10,500 0
Total (Btu/hr) 19,980 9,480
Btu/hr per kW conversion 3,412 3,412
Total strip heat needed (kW) 5.9 2.8
Rounded up to available size (kW) 6 3
The table below was generated working through similar calculations for different sizes of homes, and it
also includes the backup electrical heating needs to keep the house livable when there is a compressor
problem.
🗲🗲 Summary of backup heating needs
Heat pump system 3-4 ton home 5-ton home
ASHP – ducted 3-8 kW 6-10kW
ASHP – ductless 3-6 kW 6-9 kW
GSHP 3-5 kW 5-7 kW
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Note that indoor units of ductless ASHP systems can be oversized slightly and can shift heating between
different parts of the home when it is cold. Essentially resulting in the systems having slightly more
capacity than ducted ASHP systems, thus reducing the supplemental heating needs somewhat.
While not a need, an additional benefit of the electrical supplemental heating is much faster home
warm-up capacity, such as when returning from vacation.
Colorado climate heating requirements - not as cold as you think
When considering heat pump systems for buildings in Colorado there is a strong focus on heating when
the outdoor temperature is below zero. While the systems must keep buildings warm at the coldest
temperatures, the majority of heating in Colorado is during milder temperatures.
For an average year:
In the Front Range (Denver):
● Above 0°F outdoor temperature: >95% of the annual heating energy use. Over 2,000 hours of
heating.
● Below 0°F outdoor temperature: <5% of the annual heating energy use. Less than 100 hours of
heating.
In the High Country (Eagle):
● Above 0°F outdoor temperature: >90% of the annual heating energy use. Over 3,500 hours of
heating.
● Below 0°F outdoor temperature: <10% of the annual heating energy use. Less than 200 hours of
heating.
Appendix C - modeling parameters
Heating load - Same house model
● Denver: -1°F (99.6 percentile) - 48,200 (4.0 tons)
● Eagle: -5°F (99.6 percentile) - 50,600 btu/hr (4.2 tons)
Equipment
● Furnace AFUE .95, AC SEER 18
● ASHP 10.5 HSPF, SEER 18
● GSHP Waterfurnace 500 series. Up to 19.1 EER, 6.4 COP.
Bin data
● Denver Stapleton - ASHRAE 2017
● Eagle County Regional - ASHRAE 2017
Mean Earth temperature for loop
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● Denver: 52°F
● Eagle: 46°F
Altitude system air density deratings (ASHP ductless indoor or GSHP indoor air handler unit, 72°F)
● Denver: 18%
● Eagle: 23%
GSHP loop common parameters used in the modeling
● Borehole pipe: 1” (Note: .75” pipe is also used as an alternative to 1” in many installations)
● Manifold pipe: 1.25”
● Loop fluid: 15% methanol (Note: Propylene glycol is also used in many loop installations)
● Borehole spacing: 15’ (Note: borehole spacing for residential ranges from 15 to 20’ in actual
installations)
● Borehole depth range: 250’ - 350’
GSHP loop sized to meet minimum loop fluid temperature during winter heating season: 35°F
Change over temperature from all heat pump heating to heat pump/supplemental combo.
Denver - GSHP: -13°F (3kW), ASHP 12°F (7kW)
Eagle - GSHP - 0°F (5kW), ASHP 12°F (9kW)
Cost and energy use of the supplemental heating is fully accounted for and a very small percentage of
the total energy used for heating (GSHP <1%, ASHP <7%)
Cooling efficiency of GSHPs versus ASHPs
Why does the modeling show such a small percentage difference between GSHPs and ASHPs?
There are two main reasons that the difference is rather small.
1) There have been dramatic improvements in ASHP cooling efficiency over the past 10-15 years.
a. ASPHs have had a dramatic increase in cooling efficiency. A SEER 18 system is nearly
30% more efficient than an old SEER 14 system. The top ASHP units now have a SEER
ratings in the 20-25 range.
b. At lower speeds, inverter-driven ASHPs have SEER’s that are in the range of SEER 23-25.
c. At temperatures below the mid-80s°F, ASHPs operate at low speeds and can be equal to
or more efficient at cooling than a GSHP; in the mid-80s the systems are generally
comparable. It is only when the outdoor temperatures get above the mid-80s that GSHP
are more efficient.
2) Colorado’s cooling needs are considerably less than many parts of the country.
a. In any given year, only 20-25% of Colorado’s annual cooling occurs when the outdoor
temperatures are above the mid 80s.
b. In any given year, only 20-30% of the annual cooling is when the outdoor temperatures
are in the mid 80s.
134
34
c. In any given year, the majority of cooling (50-55%) occurs when the outdoor
temperatures are below the mid 80s.
d. The above statistics are for the Front Range and Western Slope (climate zone 5). In the
high country, even less of the cooling requirements are at high outdoor temperatures.
Appendix D - GHG emission factors
We used projected electricity emission factors for the State of Colorado from the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL).50 NREL offers several scenarios, of which we chose the average of the “Mid-
Case 95 by 2035” and “Mid-Case 95 by 2050” scenarios, which are the closest to Colorado’s goal of
achieving 100% (or nearly 100%) renewable electricity generation by 2040. NREL also offers several
choices for GHG emission factors, and we chose the “long-range marginal emission rate.” The marginal
emission rates (as opposed to the annual average emission rates) are appropriate for analyzing
questions like, “what will be the effect on the grid of policies and programs that encourage more
electrification of buildings?” which seems appropriate for this study. In addition, we chose the marginal
emission factors for SWEEP’s previous heat pump studies,51 and we wanted to be consistent with those.
These emission factors are shown in the table below.
50 “Cambium,” NREL, 2021, https://scenarioviewer.nrel.gov/?project=a3e2f719-dd5a-4c3e-9bbf-
f24fef563f45&mode=download&layout=Default.
51 “Benefits of Heat Pumps for Colorado Homes,” SWEEP, February 2022, https://www.swenergy.org/directory/co-
heat-pump-study-feb-2022/; and “Benefits for Heat Pumps for Southwest Homes,” SWEEP, June 2022,
https://www.swenergy.org/directory/sw-heat-pump-study-may-2022/.
135
35
🗲🗲 Projected electricity GHG emission factors for Colorado
Projected Marginal GHG Emission Rate (kg CO2e/MWh)
Year Mid-Case 95 by 2035 Mid-Case 95 by 2050 Average of two scenarios
2024 398.6 415.8 407.2
2026 339.7 380.7 360.2
2028 277 356.2 316.6
2030 210.5 325.4 268.0
2032 143.2 301.6 222.4
2034 80.5 275.3 177.9
2036 41.1 248.3 144.7
2038 21.1 221.1 121.1
2040 19.4 190.1 104.8
2042 20.4 155.2 87.8
2044 22.1 120 71.1
2046 16.8 90.3 53.6
2048 15 64.8 39.9
25-year average 182.7
The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) is a public interest organization promoting greater
energy efficiency and clean transportation in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and
Wyoming. swenergy.org
136
2 3 3 4 B r o a d w a y S t e A , B o u l d e r , C O 8 0 3 0 4
3 0 3 -4 4 7 -0 0 7 8 • s w e n e r g y .o r g
R E P O R T
F o r m o r e r e p o r t s , v i s i t
S W E N E R G Y .O R G
137
AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.3
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
TIME:30 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Greg Roy, Community Development
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:West Vail Commercial Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Staff will present an overview of Chapter 2, run through each of the
three design scenarios, and ask for feedback from Council during the
presentation.
PRESENTER(S):Matt Gennett, Director of Community Development
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Council Memo WVMP Phase 2.pdf
West Vail.pdf
138
Page | 1
TO: Vail Town Council
FROM: Community Development Department
DATE: February 20, 2024
SUBJECT: Presentation and Discussion – West Vail Master Plan Phase II Implementation
___________________________________________________________________________
I. DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST
Staff requests Council to review the information presented and provide feedback on the
implementation of Chapter 2, West Vail Center, West Vail Master Plan.
II. BACKGROUND
The West Vail Master Plan, adopted by Council in November 2021, includes three
scenarios for the future redevelopment of the commercial area in West Vail . These
scenarios offer three realistic design models for redeveloping and enhancing West Vail
Center.
• Scenario 1 is a “quick wins” strategy, in which primary improvements could occur
in the five years following the adoption of this plan .
• Scenario 2 presents a phased approach, in which property owners individually
redevelop their properties at different points in time .
• Scenario 3 presents a “master-planned” option in which the redevelopment for all
properties is planned together, then built over time.
Implementation of any scenario will require changes to Title 12: Zoning Regulations, Vail
Town Code. Design principles to guide these modifications are contained within the plan.
Each scenario represents one pathway to a reimagined West Vail Center. The plan does
not recommend any one scenario over another. Rather, Chapter 2 contains detailed
descriptions of each scenario and outlines the potential as well as the barriers to
overcome. Taken together, the scenario descriptions are intended to serve as a guide to
redevelopment that will assist the Town of Vail in evaluating any feasible development
concept.
III. DISCUSSION
Staff will present an overview of Chapter 2, run through each of the three design scenarios
and ask for feedback from Council during the presentation.
IV. ACTION REQUESTED
Staff asks Council to review the presentation and provide feedback on immediate next
steps.
139
140
West Vail Center
141
West Vail Center EXISTING CONDITIONS 142
West Vail Center WHY CHANGE?
•Economic competitiveness
•Strip style commercial doesn’t
meet Vail Land Use Plan vision
•Aesthetically lacks sense of place
•Primarily car-oriented
•Vail lacks developable land, yet
demands more housing and
commercial
143
West Vail Center MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
•Low Real Estate Supply
• Businesses going down valley
•Highway Visibility/Location
•Only convenience stop between
Summit County and Eagle-Vail
•Healthy Commercial Rents
•Healthy Retail Sales
•Property Ownership
•Limited number of parcels
144
Vision: West Vail Center
“The reimagined ‘West Vail Center’ is the center of economic and social life in West Vail. It’s a
place to meet a friend for a cup of coffee, conveniently pick up groceries and other essentials,
and access transit connections to the rest of the town and valley. As the western gateway to
the Town of Vail, the commercial center is aesthetically pleasing and inviting, with new and
upgraded buildings that reflect the neighborhood’s scale and mountain setting while
providing much-needed resident housing. The area’s new pattern of development is oriented
to pedestrians, accommodating to bicyclists, and accessible by both car and transit. Vibrant,
active businesses in the commercial area serve both locals and visitors, supporting and
meeting the needs of West Vail’s year-round community.”
West Vail Center145
Summary of Goals
1.Town works collaboratively to improve economic vibrancy and provide housing
2.Expand housing opportunities in West Vail Center
3.Ensure comfortable and efficient access for people using all transportation modes
4.Retain essential businesses that serve Vail’s year-round community
5.Attract new businesses that support social life (e.g. coffee shops)
6.Create an inviting, human-scaled environment within West Vail Center
7.Maintain an aesthetic that is distinctive and memorable, yet suits West Vail’s mountain
environment
West Vail Center146
West Vail Center FRAMEWORK 147
West Vail Center SCENARIO 1 148
West Vail Center SCENARIO 1 149
West Vail Center SCENARIO 1 150
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 151
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 152
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 PHASING 153
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 PHASING 154
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 PHASING 155
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 PHASING 156
West Vail Center SCENARIO 2 PHASING 157
West Vail Center SCENARIO 3 158
West Vail Center SCENARIO 3 159
West Vail Center SCENARIO 3 160
West Vail Center PROS AND CONS
1 – QUICK WINS 2 – PARCEL-BY -PARCEL 3 – MAIN STREET
161
Implementation
•Led by property owners in partnership with Town
•Market-rate housing
•Create value to fund redevelopment and parking costs
•Provide incentive to property owners
•Town Partnership
•Assist with paying for a portion of structured parking
•Consider a special district and/or TIF
•Replacement Parking Costs
•Roughly $35.0-$40.0 million
•500-600 spaces @ $65,000 per space in structured parking
West Vail Center162
What could the mix of businesses in
West Vail Center look like?
West Vail Center
Food/Market Coffee Shop & Bakery
Pizzeria Bar/Restaurant
Breakfast/Lunch/Brunch Restaurant Vintage Apparel / Thrift / Used Gear
Kids Gifts/Toys Private Fitness/Gym
Pilates/Yoga Studio Salon
Barber Shop Optician
Interior Design Physical Therapy
Office: Professional, Non-Profit Office: Executive Suites/Co-Working
Doctor/Medical
50%
14%
36%Retail/F&B
Personal Services
Office/Services
163
Zoning Recommendations:
Updates to Commercial Core 3
West Vail Center
1
•Develop new parking schedule
•Expand allowed housing types
•Develop new mix of allowed,
conditional, and prohibited uses
•Adjust zoning standards to align
with scenarios
164
New Zoning District:
Community Mixed Use
Scen. 2
Scen. 3
•Develop new mix of
allowed, conditional, and
prohibited uses
•Increase max building
heights
•Develop new parking
schedule
West Vail Center
•Increase max site
coverage
•Expand allowed
housing types
•Reduce minimum
setback
requirements
•Restrict inactive
uses to upper floors
•Revise landscaping
requirements to
align with scenarios
165
Funding and Financing
Tool Scenario 1
Annual Revenue
Scenario 2
Financing
Capacity
Scenario 3
Financing Capacity
Business
Improvement
District (BID)
•$200,000-
$300,000/yr.
•5.000 mills, $0.50-
$1.00/sqft
•N/A •N/A
Tax Increment
Financing (TIF)
•N/A •$10-13 million •$11-14 million
Special District
(30 mills residential
10 mills comm.)
•N/A •$10 million •$13 million
West Vail Center166
West Vail Center IMPLEMENTATION COMPARISON 167
AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.4
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
TIME:15 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Carlie Smith, Finance
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Year End Investment Report
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation.
PRESENTER(S):Carlie Smith, Director of Finance
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
240220 2023 YE Investments.pdf
231231 Investment Report.pdf
168
2023 INVESTMENT REPORT
Town Council | February 20, 2024
16
9
1. Safety
2. Liquidity
3. Yield
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
POLICY OBJECTIVES | Investment Policy
17
0
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2023 INVESTMENT RESULTS | Yield
During 2023, the Fed
approved four 0.25%
interest rate increases
after six increases in
2022.
3 Mos. 6 Mos. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 5 Yr.
Dec 2023 5.40% 5.26% 4.79% 4.23% 3.84%
Dec 2022 4.42% 4.76% 4.73% 4.22% 3.99%
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
3 Month 6 Month 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 5 Yr.
Treasury Yields
Dec‐24 Dec‐242
17
1
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2023 INVESTMENT RESULTS | Comparison to Treasury
1 year Treasury yield
continued to rise in 2023
but decreased in Q4 in
anticipation of an end to rate
hikes
The Town’s average yield
increased 98 basis points
during 2023.
• Early withdrawal of older
low yielding CDs
• Invested in higher-
yielding short-term CDs
• Operating account yield
increased from 2% to
4.5%.
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
1 Yr Treasury 4.63% 5.40% 5.46% 4.79%
Town of Vail 3.50% 4.23% 4.36% 4.48%
0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Yield Comparison
1 Yr. Treasury Town of Vail
17
2
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2023 INVESTMENT RESULTS | Investment Mix
Colorado
Pool, 54%
CD's, 6%
Gov't
Securitires,
23%
Cash, 17%
December 31, 2022
$149.9M
Colorado
Pool, 47%
CD's, 13%
Gov't
Securitires,
23%
Cash, 17%
December 31, 2023
$152.9M
17
3
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2023 INVESTMENT RESULTS | Maturity
82.80%
6.50%
5.50%
5.20%
December 31,2023
< 1 Yr 1‐ 2 Yrs 2‐5 Yrs > 5 Yrs
73.05%
7.31%
13.95%
5.69%
December 31,2022
< 1 Yr 1‐ 2 Yrs 2‐5 Yrs > 5 Yrs
17
4
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2023 INVESTMENT RESULTS | VLMD Investment Mix
Colorado
Pool, 68%
Cash, 32%
December 31, 2023
$3.1M
17
5
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2024 INVESTMENT STRATEGY
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Investment Mix
< 1 Yr 1‐2 Year 2‐5 Year > 5 Year
Projected Cash
Reserves Utilized 2024‐
2025
Of the total $152.9M
cash and investment
mix, approximately
$100.2M is needed to
cash fund projects
over the next two
years. An additional
$28.0M is restricted by
fund type
17
6
Stick to our investment policy objectives:
safety, liquidity and yield
Continue to manage investment mix
Make strategic decisions for use of cash for
capital projects as appropriate
Town Council | Finance | 2/20/2024
2024 INVESTMENT STRATEGY
17
7
TO: Russell Forrest
Council Members
FROM: Carlie Smith
DATE: 4th Qtr 2023
RE: Investment Report
Enclosed is the investment report with balances as of December 31, 2023
The estimated average yield for the pooled cash fund is 4.5%. As of 12/31/2023
the Treasury yield curves for 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year are 5.40%, 5.26%,
and 4.79% respectively.
Our investment mix follows the policy objectives of safety, liquidity, and yield in that order.
Please call me if you have any questions.
TOWN OF VAIL MEMORANDUM
Following aggressive changes in the federal funds rates throughout 2022, there
were four more 25 basis point rate increases during 2023 between February and
May, bringing the total federal funds rate to a target range of 5.00%- 5.25%.
Treasury yields dipped slightly in the fourth quarter with inflation data showing
progress towards bringing prices back to the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2%.
The Federal Reserve's policy shifted to a more moderate stance and markets
began to reflect an optimistic outlook of possible future decreases in the Federal
Reserve rates.
The Town made no changes to it's investment mix during the 4th quarter and
is purposely keeping a higher cash balance due to upcoming large
expenditures.
Gov't
Securities
$35.9
24%
CD's $20.1
13%Colorado Investment
Pool $71.0
46%
Cash $25.9
17%
2023 4th Qtr. Investment Mix
$152.9M
178
2023
Balances Percentage Percentage
Cash of Total Allowed
Commercial Banks $24,243,031 15.85% 50%
Money Market Funds $1,689,792 1.11% 100%
Total Cash $25,932,822 16.96%
U.S. Government Securities
Government Agency Securities -First Western $9,984,111 6.53%
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana $25,889,940 16.93% 100%
Total Government Securities $35,874,051 23.46%
Certificates of Deposit $20,091,518 13.14%
Colorado Investment Pools $71,015,161 46.44%100%
Total Portfolio $152,913,552 100.0%
Maturing Within 12 Months 126,623,847 82.81%
Maturing Within 24 Months 9,913,479 6.48%
Maturing After 24 Months 16,376,226 10.71%
152,913,552 100.0%
2-5 Yrs 8,373,427 5.48%
over 5 8,002,799 5.23%
16,376,226
Town of Vail, Colorado
Investment Report
Summary of Accounts and Investments
As of 12/31/2023
179
Institution Average Balances
Type of Accounts Return 12/31/23
"CASH" ACCOUNTS
Commercial Bank Accounts:
First Bank of Vail - Operating Accounts 4.500% $24,243,031
Money Market Accounts:
Schwab Institutional Money Market Fund - Dana Investments 5.090% $1,309,070
Piper Sandler Money Market Fund 0.0499 12,549.11
First Western Fidelity IMM Gov Class 5.000% $368,173
Total Money Market Funds $1,689,792
Total "Cash" Accounts $25,932,822
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
FNMA'S, FHLMC'S & NGO'S -First Western 3.72% 9,984,111$
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana 2.70% 25,889,940$
35,874,051$
Total Government Securities 35,874,051$
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0571) Matures March 11, 2024 4.860% 10,396,753
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0563) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,200,374
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0555) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,648,971
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0547) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,177,438
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0539) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,175,714
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0520) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,177,172
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0519) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,224,524
Piper Sandler 560390BW5 Matures August ,17 2027 4.490% 197,824
Piper Sandler 32022RVJ3 Matures January 30, 2026 4.750% 194,873
Piper Sandler 724468AH6 Matures July 31, 2026 4.760% 199,420
Piper Sandler 88423MAA3 Matures July 31, 2026 4.760% 206,487
Piper Sandler 062119CC4 Matures July 28, 2027 4.670% 199,094
Piper Sandler 89214PEC9 Matures November 15, 2028 5.670% 153,696
Piper Sandler 173576AJ8 Matures October 25, 2024 4.450% 147,127
Piper Sandler 40449HAD9 Matures October 27, 2025 4.480% 146,949
Piper Sandler 39573LDW5 Matures Oct 28,2025 4.750% 244,635
Piper Sandler 917352AD8 Matures Oct 28, 2025 4.710% 249,383
Piper Sandler 33715LFM7 Matures December 30, 2025 5.110% 151,085
20,091,518
Total Certificates of Deposit 20,091,518$
LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS
Colotrust General Fund
Interest 5.231% $71,015,161
Total Local Government Investment Pools Accounts $71,015,161
Total All Accounts $152,913,552
As of 12/31/2023
Performance Summary
180
AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.5
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
TIME:20 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Jeremy Gross, Economic Development
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:2024 CSE 2nd Cycle Special Event Sponsorship Allocations
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):Jeremy Gross, Special Event Coordinator
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Council Memo - 2024 2nd Cycle Special Event Sponsorship Allocations - 02-20-2024.pdf
181
To: Mayor and Town Council
From: Jeremy Gross, Special Events Coordinator
Economic Development Department
Date: 02/20/2024
Subject: 2024 2nd Cycle Special Event Sponsorship Allocations
I. BACKGROUND
In January 2024, the Economic Development Department published an RFP for the
second cycle of 2024 special event sponsorship for all Town funded events.
The first cycle occurred in October/November of 2023, where 22 events were reviewed
and sponsored. The first cycle included most of the events that occur in the first half of
the year, and early summer and most of our Signature events. $1,093,000 was
allocated in the first cycle, leaving approximately $702,960 to be allocated in the second
cycle.
The key objective of the event sponsorship program in 2024 will be to add users to the
Discover Vail database, increase brand awareness to event attendees, collect and
analyze data to support the event strategy in Vail. The town works with all event
producers to ensure that the town is receiving agreed upon sponsorship benefits in line
with the sponsorship amount.
Budget
The Town received 20 proposals in response to the second RFP for 2024 event
sponsorship:
• 1 Signature Event
• 10 Visitor Draw Events
• 7 Recreation/Tournament Events
• 2 Education and Enrichment Events.
The total budget available for all 2024 event sponsorship is $1,795,960.
The total amount allocated in the first cycle was $1,093,000.
The total dollar amount requested in the second cycle was $731,330.
The total dollar amount allocated is $365,300.
182
Town of Vail Page 2
The town has also budgeted $861,000 for town-produced/RFP driven events including
Vail America Days, Revely Vail and Vail Holidays, Vail Après Spring Series, 10th
Mountain parades and Locals and Employee Celebrations and concerts.
Review Process
The Committee on Special Events viewed the sponsorship presentations from 20 event
producers and made sponsorship funding recommendations at 2 meetings in February.
The Event Funding Committee, comprised of representatives of the CSE, finance, Town
managers office, and economic development departments, subsequently reviewed the
proposals and recommended sponsorship amounts, resulting in the final
recommendations included here.
Each event was reviewed using the sponsorship application that was updated in 2022,
the tangible valuation matrix, and the updated scoring criteria.
Town Council is asked to review the funding recommendations below. Town Council
can call up any of the funding allocations they would like to discuss by March 19, 2024
Town Council meeting.
Sponsorship Allocations
The following allocations were made by the Committee on Special Events and were
finalized by the Event Funding Committee. The call up period begins on February 20,
and will expire at the March 19, 2024 Town Council Meeting.
The full sponsorship proposals and supporting documents can be reviewed in the CSE
meeting packet found here - https://www.vail.gov/agendas.
This section intentionally left blank.
183
Signature Highlights:
• The Vail Jazz Organization is not producing their full summer of concerts as they have in the past due to the
restructuring of the organization at the end of 2023. They are planning the continuation of the Vail Jazz Labor Day
party at a new venue for 2024.
Visitor Draw Highlights:
• Handmade in Colorado Expo, which was a new event in 2023, was approved for a variable sponsorship amount. If
the event occurs in Vail Village over 2 days, they will receive $3,000. If they are able to move the event to Lionshead
and hold it over 3 days, they will receive the full $6,000.
Signature Event Start
Date
Event End
Date 2023 Funding $ Request
CSE
Recommended
Funding
EFC Final
Allocation
The Vail Jazz Party 24-Aug 2-Sep 90,000$ 45,000$ 35,000$ 35,000$
Subtotal Signature 90,000$ 45,000$ 35,000$
Visitor Draw - CSE Event Start
Date
Event End
Date 2023 Funding $ Request
CSE
Recommended
Funding
Handmade in Colorado Expo 4-Oct 5-Oct 5,000$ 6,000$ 6,000$ 6,000$
Freefall Bluegrass Festival 11-Oct 13-Oct 65,000$ 80,000$ 65,000$ 65,000$
Vail's Ice Spectacular 22-Dec 23-Dec 30,000$ 35,000$ 30,000$ 30,000$
Vail Oktoberfest 2024 6-Sep 15-Sep -$ 75,000$ -$
Vail Kris Kringle Market 12-Dec 15-Dec 30,000$ 30,000$ 25,000$ 25,000$
Vail Wine Classic 8-Aug 10-Aug 40,000$ 50,000$ 35,000$ 35,000$
Vail Film Festival 5-Dec 8-Dec 75,000$ 75,000$ 10,000$ 10,000$
Arrabelle and the Town of Vail Presents: Concerts under the Tent in Lio 13-Jun 19-Sep 69,600$ 44,000$ 44,800$
Legacy Fighting Alliance 16-Oct 18-Oct 17,500$ 30,000$ 18,000$ 18,000$
Subtotal Visitor Draw 262,500$ 500,600$ 233,000$ 233,800$
184
Town of Vail Page 4
• The Freefall Bluegrass Festival was very well received in its first year. The sponsorship request increased by
$15,000 but is being funded flat with 2023 at $65,000 based on the expected sponsorship benefits the town will
receive.
• Vail Film Festival returned to the village with its first in person event since COVID in 2023. The event continued with
their December dates, a change from last in person event in 2019, which aligned better with the Town’s needs but
the overall visitation from the event and sponsorship benefits received did not justify the full sponsorship request.
The Film Festival has lower sponsorship levels available that align better with the Towns goals.
• The Arrabelle Concerts under the Tent is a new event produced by the team at the Arrabelle. They have been
working with neighboring merchants to activate the tent on the ice rink throughout the summer, in an attempt to keep
the energy from Vail Jazz alive. The plan is still in the works but will include a regular cadence of weekly music to
provide an attractive environment for guests across Vail to linger in Lionshead.
Recreation Highlights:
• Kick it 3v3 has new ownership that requested a significant increase in sponsorship year over year with the goal of
adding concerts and a festival atmosphere to the tournament. The town is not confident in the plan for the increased
event scope this year and funded the event at a similar level to 2023.
• Vail to Minturn 26k is a new event proposed by the Vail Rec District. The sub-ultra endurance category is a growing
segment of enduring racing that VRD is excited to bring to the region. The event happens at a great time of year with
lower occupancy.
Recreation Event Start
Date
Event End
Date 2023 Funding $ Request
CSE
Recommended
Funding
Cindy Eskwith Memorial Vail Cup Soccer Tournament 5-Oct 6-Oct $17,000 25,000$ 20,000$ 20,000$
The 53rd Annual Fred Ammer Vail Invitational 19-Jul 21-Jul $10,000 15,000$ 12,000$ 12,000$
Kick It Vail Cup 2-Aug 4-Aug $7,500 80,000$ 10,000$ 10,000$
Vail Gymnastics Classic 1-Sep 19-Oct $9,000 12,000$ 10,000$ 10,000$
2024 45th Annual Vail Sportsmanship Tournament 18-Oct 17-Nov $12,500 12,500$ 12,500$ 12,500$
Vail to Minturn 26K*27-Sep 28-Sep $0 10,000$ 10,000$ 10,000$
SHIFRUNS 26-Mar 26-Mar $0 10,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$
Subtotal Recreation 56,000$ 164,500$ 78,500$ 78,500$
185
Town of Vail Page 5
• SHIFRUNS, also know as Runs for ALS is a pair of events that raise money for ALS research. The main event is the
ski challenge that occurs on Vail Mountain in March. The group also produces the Crawl for ALS which is a pub
crawl through Vail Village on opening weekend of the ski season.
Education and Enrichment Highlights:
• From Ashes of Dinosaurs is a keynote speaker event associated with the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens 2024 exhibit.
The sponsorship request was to offset rental costs for Grand View. The recommendation is to
This section intentionally left blank.
E&E Event Start
Date
Event End
Date 2023 Funding $ Request
CSE
Recommended
Funding
Ethical Leadership Forum 17-Oct 18-Oct 20000 $20,000 18,000$ 18,000$
"From the Ashes of Dinosaurs" Keynote Speaker Event 14-Jun 14-Jun 0 $1,230 1,230$ -$
Subtotal Recreation 91,040$ 21,230$ 19,230$ 18,000$
186
Other Events
Notable events that are not on the list of sponsored events include Vail America Days,
Revely Vail, Vail Social, the early season and end of season employee parties, and Vail
Oktoberfest. With the exception of Vail Oktoberfest, the rest of the events are town
produced.
Vail America Days: The annual Vail America Days Parade will be returning this 4th of
July. In 2024 the Town is planning to take more of a leadership role in the parade
production, overseeing the parade route and operations, while still receiving planning
and coordination support from Laurie Asmussen.
The event plan for the America Days parade is very similar to 2023. The goal for the
parade is to engage more local groups that will build engaging floats, and to continue
securing bands and marching groups to bring music and performances to the parade.
The proposed theme for the parade is “Let the Games Begin” highlighting the athletic
nature of our community and the athletes around the world competing in the 2024
Summer Olympic Games.
Vail Oktoberfest: After producing the event in 2022 and 2023, Team Player Productions
has notified the Town that they are unable to move forward with producing Vail
Oktoberfest due to staffing and scheduling challenges. The Town published an RFP to
find a new producer for Vail Oktoberfest. One response was received but the proposal
included a very large increase in the sponsorship amount due to the unknown aspects
of taking over an event of this scale, and up front costs of taking on the event. The
Town spoke with the event producer about a revenue share model to offset the large
financial request but after further review, staff decided to solicit more responses, looking
for a more traditional event proposal. The events budgets have money earmarked for
the event, assuming that a new event producer can be retained. An update will be
provided to the council by March 19, 2024.
II. ACTION REQUESTED
Town Council is asked to review the funding recommendations presented and provide
feedback. Town Council can call up any of the funding allocations they would like to
discuss by March 19, 2024 Town Council meeting.
187
AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Jamie Leaman-Miller, Community Development
ITEM TYPE:DRB/PEC Update
AGENDA SECTION:DRB/PEC (5 min.)
SUBJECT:DRB/PEC Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
DRB Results 2-7-24.pdf
PEC Results 2-12-24.pdf
188
Present:Kathryn Middleton
Rys Olsen
Herbert Roth
Kit Austin
Erin Iba
1.Virtual Meeting Link
Register to attend Design Review Board Meetings. Once registered, you will receive a
confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar.
2.Call to Order
3.Main Agenda
Final review of an exterior alteration (store front)
Address/ Legal Description: 141 East Meadow Drive Retail Condo/Lot P & Tract C, Block 5D, Vail Village
Filing 1
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Moncler, represented by Suman Architects
3.1 DRB24-0021 - Solaris Retail
Conditions:
1. All signage shall require a separate DRB application. Illuminated signage internal to the store shall be
a minimum of 3’ from any exterior window.
2. The applicant shall provide staff with an example of the proposed material color demonstrating a
distinction with the existing balcony box.
Final review of an addition (single family home)
Address/ Legal Description: 1785 Sunburst Drive/Area A & B, Sunburst at Vail
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: 1785 Sunburst Drive, LLC, represented by 159 Design
3.2 DRB24-0014 - 1785 Sunburst Drive, LLC
Condition: The applicant shall provide staff with a detail demonstrating a 6" offset for the materials
change between the wood siding and the metal siding on the front elevation.
Design Review Board Minutes
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
2:00 PM
Vail Town Council Chambers
240124 Existing retail photos.pdf
DRB24-0021 Moncler.pdf
Moncler DRB COA.pdf
Rys Olsen made a motion to Approve with conditions and the findings that the application meets 14-10-2
&14-10-4; Kathryn Middleton seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0).
DRB24-0014 description and materials.pdf
DRB24-0014 plan set.pdf
1
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2024 189
Final review of a change to approved plans (landscape)
Address/ Legal Description: 1281 North Frontage Road West/Lot 1, Timber Ridge Subdivision
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: Town of Vail, represented by Triumph Development
3.3 DRB23-0281.002 - Timber Ridge II
Conceptual review of a pump building (utilities)
Address/ Legal Description: 550 Forest Road/Tract A, Vail Village Filing 6
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: Vail Resorts, represented by SGM
3.4 DRB24-0013 - Vail Resorts Pump Building
Conceptual only. No action taken.
Conceptual review of a new multiple family residential development
Address/ Legal Description: North Frontage Road West/Tract A, Middle Creek Subdivision
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: Town of Vail, represented by George Ruther
3.5 DRB24-0004 - West Middle Creek
Conceptual only. No action taken.
(Austin recused)
4.Staff Approvals
Final review of a change to approved plans (windows/screen)
Address/ Legal Description: 1488 Matterhorn Circle/Vail Park Meadows
4.1 DRB19-0688.002 - Alura Residences
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Alura Residences, represented by Pierce Austin Architects
Final review of a change to approved plans (fence)
Address/ Legal Description: 225 Forest Road/Lot 25, Block 7, Vail Village Filing 1
4.2 DRB22-0106.002 - Hicks Residence
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: Ed & Gloria Hicks, represented by Alpine Building & Development
4.3 DRB23-0447 - Beaver Dam Road LLC
Rys Olsen made a motion to Approve with a condition and the findings that the application meets 14-10-
4 & 14-10-5; Herbert Roth seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0).
DRB23-0281.002 Landscaping Plan Changes.pdf
DRB23-0281 Landscaping Plan Approved.pdf
Rys Olsen made a motion to Table to a date uncertain; Kathryn Middleton seconded the motion Passed
(5 - 0).
DRB24-0013 Plans.pdf
DRB24-0004 Conceptual Plans 2-7-24.pdf
2
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2024 190
Final review of an exterior alteration (hot tub/waterproofing)
Address/ Legal Description: 374 Beaver Dam Road/Lot 8, Block 2, Vail Village Filing 3
Planner: Heather Knight
Applicant Name: Beaver Dam Road, represented by Shaeffer Hyde Construction
Final review of an exterior alteration (roof/fireplace)
Address/ Legal Description: 1770 Alpine Drive/Lot 9, Vail Village West Filing 1
4.4 DRB23-0452 - 1770 Alpine Drive LLC
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: 1770 Alpine Drive, represented by 2139 Vail
Final review of an exterior alteration (windows/door)
Address/ Legal Description: 434 Gore Creek Drive E1B & E2B/Lot B, Block 3, Vail Village Filing 5
4.5 DRB24-0001 - Purchase Residence
Planner: Heather Knight
Applicant Name: John & Lara Purchase, represented by LKSM Design
Final review of an exterior alteration (balconies/stairs)
Address/ Legal Description: 4590 Vail Racquet Club Drive/Vail Racquet Club Condominiums
4.6 DRB24-0003 - Vail Racquet Club
Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller
Applicant Name: Vail Racquet Club, represented by VMDA
Final review of an exterior alteration (door)
Address/ Legal Description: 1179 Sandstone Drive/Lot 3, Block 1, Lion's Ridge Subdivision Filing 4
4.7 DRB24-0007 - Gartner/Weinstock Residence
Planner: Heather Knight
Applicant Name: David Gartner & Kristi Weinstock, represented by Renewal By Andersen
Final review of a tree removal
Address/ Legal Description: 781 Potato Patch Drive B/Lot 21, Block 1, Vail Potato Patch Filing 1
4.8 DRB24-0010 - Johnson Residence
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: James & Shannon Johnson, represented by Vail Valley Tree Service
Final review of a tree removal
Address/ Legal Description: 740 Sandy Lane A/Lot 4, Vail Potato Patch Filing 2
4.9 DRB24-0011 - Hart Residence
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Cynthia M. Hart, represented by Vail Valley Tree Service
Final review of an exterior alteration (windows)
Address/ Legal Description: 385 Forest Road/Lot 2, Block 2, Vail Village Filing 3
4.10 DRB24-0019 - Boyd Residence
Planner: Heather Knight
Applicant Name: Thomas Boyd, represented by Renewal By Andersen
3
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2024 191
Final review of an exterior alteration (microwave dishes)
Address/ Legal Description: 165 North Frontage Road West/Lot 2, Middle Creek Subdivision
4.11 DRB24-0020 - US West Communications
Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller
Applicant Name: US West Communications, represented by Verizon Wireless
Final review of an exterior alteration (windows)
Address/ Legal Description: 4605 Meadow Drive 1/Vail Racquet Club Condominiums
4.12 DRB24-0015 - Vail Racquet Club Condos
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Vail Racquet Club Condos, represented by VMDA
Final review of an exterior alteration (windows/doors)
Address/ Legal Description: 1330 Sandstone Drive 2/Lot G4, Lion's Ridge Subdivision Filing 2
4.13 DRB24-0006 - Mackenzie Residence
Planner: Heather Knight
Applicant Name: George Mackenzie, represented by Resolution Design
Final review of an exterior alteration (windows/door)
Address/ Legal Description: 1063 Vail View Drive 24/Lot A5, Block 5, Lion's Ridge Subdivision Filing 1
4.14 DRB24-0018 - Moore Residence
Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller
Applicant Name: Michael G. & Yoshimi S. Moore, represented by Renewal By Andersen
Final Review of a Change to Approved Plans (Pool)
Address/ Legal Description: 508 E Lionshead Circle
4.15 DRB23-0104.001 - Vantage Point Condos 2023 (Pool)
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Vantage Point HOA represented by Reed Kildow (Pierce Austin Architects)
5.Staff Denials
6.Adjournment
(Austin not present for vote)
Kathryn Middleton made a motion to Adjourn ; Herbert Roth seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0).
4
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2024 192
Present:Scott P McBride
John Rediker
Henry Pratt
Brad Hagedorn
Bill Jensen
Robyn Smith
Absent:Bobby Lipnick
1.Virtual Link
Register to attend the Planning and Environmental Commission meeting. Once registered,
you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar.
2.Call to Order
3.Worksession
3.1 Coldstream Condominium Work Session
(Pratt recused)
Planner Roy gives an introduction.
Rediker and Roy discuss the property boundaries and neighboring lots. They discuss they entitlements
on the lot to the south.
Sean Hanagan & Greg Finch are representing the applicant. Hanagan gives a presentation on the
history of the property and the idea for the new project.
Hanagan and Commission discuss site planning. They discuss height considerations and the
landscaping plan. Hanagan walks through zoning and development standards in SDD #4.
The project is requesting small variations to setbacks, there are two projections extending around 4’ into
the setbacks, as well as a below grade garage.
There is discussion on the process for an SDD amendment. Further discussion regarding the entryway
on the east of the property, parking, and the proposed EHU. There is talk of short-term rentals on
property, Commission encourages adding a second EHU on the property as was proposed in 2011.
Rediker asks for public comment. There is none.
Finch speaks to some of the difficulties with adding another EHU on site. Another unit offsite is a
possibility.
4.Main Agenda
4.1
A request for a review of a Minor Exterior Alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7 Exterior
Planning and Environmental Commission Minutes
Monday, February 12, 2024
1:00 PM
Vail Town Council Chambers
Work session Memo 2-12-24.pdf
Coldstream Packet.pdf
1
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of February 12, 2024 193
Planner: Greg Roy
Applicant Name: CTRE15 LLC, represented by Pierce Austin Architects
Alterations or Modifications, Vail Town Code, to allow for the addition of an elevator,
located at 304 Bridge Street, Lot E-H, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 1, and setting forth
details in regard thereto. (PEC23-0028)
(Pratt absent for remaining items)
Planner Roy gives a presentation on the application. He walks through the criteria for review, staff is
recommending approval.
Jordan Kalasnik with Pierce Austin Architects is representing the applicant. He walks through the
proposal.
Smith asks about the interface of the roof form with the entrance awning. Kalasnik says that will be
addressed in the design.
Hagedorn asks why this is not adding site coverage; Roy says this is because the addition is over
structural portions of the building.
Jensen asks who the elevator services. Kalasnik says it is for two units on the second floor.
Rediker asks for public comment. There is none. Public comment closed.
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: 1682 Matterhorn LLC, represented by Martin Manley Architects
4.2 A request for review of a Minor Subdivision, pursuant to Section 13-4, Minor Subdivisions,
Vail Town Code, to adjust a lot line, located at 1682 Matterhorn Circle and 1673 Matterhorn
Circle/Lots 20 and 21, Matterhorn Village Filing 1, and setting forth details in regard
thereto. (PEC23-0031)
Planner Spence talks about the process for minor and major subdivisions. Spence and Commissioners
discuss the process for each type of subdivision. Spence gives a presentation on the proposal.
Rediker opens Items 4.2 and 4.4. Spence describes the major subdivision request.
Hagedorn asks about a lot still being under the 15,000 square foot minimum. Spence says the lot is
PEC23-0028 - Red Lion Staff Memo.pdf
Attachment A. PEC23-0028 Vicinity Map.pdf
Attachment B. Applicant's Narrative.pdf
Attachment C. PEC23-0028 Project Plan Set.pdf
Robyn Smith made a motion to Approve with the conditions and findings on page 7 of the staff memo;
Brad Hagedorn seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0).
PEC23-0031 Staff Memo Minor Subdivision.pdf
Attachment A. Project Narrative.pdf
Attachment B. Project Lot Layout Overview.pdf
Attachment C. Existing Conditions.pdf
Attachment D. Proposed Plat Lot 20-21.pdf
2
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of February 12, 2024 194
significantly larger than before, we are decreasing the amount of non-conformity.
Smith asks about the relevance of the West Vail Master Plan. Spence says staff is not making a
judgment call, they’re processing these applications as received.
Smith clarifies the properties would be single-family if redeveloped as existing.
Jeff Manley with Martin Manley Architects is representing the applicants. The lots today are non-
conforming with the Primary/Secondary zoning. The idea is to take what is non-conforming and make it
conforming, with better orientation and access for the lots.
Smith references 13-3-4, is the applicant considering something other than duplexes?
Manley says the lots become smaller once the setbacks are applied.
Hagedorn asks about approving a subdivision that goes through the existing home.
Spence says there is a plan not to record any subdivision plats that exacerbate existing non-
conformities.
Manley says they would not record until these structures are gone.
McBride clarifies the scope of Item 4.2
Rediker asks for public comment. There is none. Public comment closed.
Jensen says given the history of these lots before Vail, as it’s been a practice to adjust lot lines. The
presentation makes sense, to maximize the density possibility for the lots.
Rediker references 13-3-3 and utility considerations.
Manley says they have been talking with Eagle River Water & Sanitation and Holy Cross as to their
requirements.
Hagedorn says there is some nuance with no net loss. At the same time these are not formal deed
restricted properties, and the quality is listed as poor on the assessor’s website. It’s an improvement
within the existing zoning.
Rediker says Item 4.4 meets the criteria in 13-3-3 and agrees with the staff analysis. For Item 4.2, he
agrees with the staff review that the criteria is met.
Smith says she understand the move to achieve the redevelopment according to the current zoning, this
development as proposed would produce great duplexes. This area has been an important part of the
Town, the applicants shouldn’t be faulted for wanting to redevelop this.
However, citing 13-3-4, the items fail criteria 1 because the West Vail Master plan is an element of the
comprehensive plan. The proposal is not consistent with the adopted goals as defined in that master
plan; Housing goals #1 and 4, and Zoning Recommendation #2 and #5.
It fails criteria 7, citing the subdivision provides for an orderly and viable community and serves the best
interest of the community. The PEC isn’t bound by precedent, there is a reasonable expectation the
neighbors will be treated the same for similar requests.
Smith references the conversations regarding West Vail Multifamily 2, and concerns that the PEC
wouldn’t have the criteria to deal with a subdivision that subverts this. There is a disconnect between the
goals in the plan and the land use regulation, which should be addressed by the Council.
3
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of February 12, 2024 195
Hagedorn asks about the West Vail Master Plan.
Roy talks about the history of that process. The process ended up as an overlay district that properties
could opt in to, not a mandated rezoning but an overlay that could be elected by individual properties.
Hagedorn says we need to encourage these goals through our zoning, but where this sits now it furthers
the conformance of the existing zoning.
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: 1699 Geneva, represented by Martin Manley Architects
4.3 A request for review of a Minor Subdivision, pursuant to Section 13-4, Minor Subdivisions,
Vail Town Code, to adjust a lot line and remove previously abandoned lot lines, located at
1699, 1705 and 1707 Geneva Drive/Lots 1, 2 and 3, Matterhorn Village Filing 1, and setting
forth details in regard thereto. (PEC24-0002)
Spence says this application stands alone; it is moving a lot line back to its original location.
Manley says this application makes the lots more conforming.
Rediker asks for public comment. There is none. Public comment closed.
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: 1692 Matterhorn, represented by Martin Manley Architects
4.4 A request for the review of a Major Subdivision, pursuant to Section 13-3, Major
Subdivisions, Vail Town Code, for the reconfiguration of lots located at 1682 Matterhorn
Circle and 1692, 1704, 1706, 1708 and 1710 Geneva Drive/Lots 18, 19, and Lot 21,
Matterhorn Village Filing No. 1, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC24-001)
This Item heard concurrently with Item 4.2.
John Rediker made a motion to Approve with the condition and findings on page 11 of the staff memo;
Bill Jensen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 1).
Voting For: Brad Hagedorn, Scott P McBride, Bill Jensen, John Rediker
Voting Against: Robyn Smith
PEC24-0002 Staff Memo Minor Subdivision.pdf
Attachment A. Project Narrative.pdf
Attachment B. Project Lot Layout Overview.pdf
Attachment C. Existing Conditions.pdf
Attachment D. Proposed Plat.pdf
Scott P McBride made a motion to Approve with the condition and findings on page 11 of the staff memo;
Bill Jensen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 1).
Voting For: Bill Jensen, Brad Hagedorn, John Rediker, Scott P McBride
Voting Against: Robyn Smith
PEC24-0001 Staff Memo Major Subdivision.pdf
Attachment A. Project Narrative.pdf
Attachment B. Project Lot Layout Overview (Major).pdf
Attachment C. Existing Conditions.pdf
4
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of February 12, 2024 196
5.Approval of Minutes
5.1 PEC Results 1-22-24
(Hagedorn abstains)
6.Information Update
Roy talks about the upcoming term expirations.
Hagedorn asks if there has been interest in people taking up the West Vail overlay.
Roy says there was during the discussion but nothing since then.
Hagedorn asks about West Middle Creek. Roy says they have had two conceptual reviews with
the DRB.
Smith asks about mobility plan language, that code language includes carshare, at some point
are we going to figure out what it takes to approve a carshare.
Roy says that is an option for each site, if they are proposing carshare they should show how that
works.
Smith says how do we know if we can approve a carshare that might not last a long time.
Roy says it will depend on if the commission believes the mobility plan is sufficient.
Smith says Avon has had some parking issues. Is there anything we can do to make sure that
doesn’t happen to us?
Roy talks parking requirements in the code.
Smith brings up turf grass, we don’t really have a requirement to stop non-functional turf grass. Is
the PEC interested in limiting the amount of that?
Roy says typically it would be up to Town Council to initiate changes such as that.
The Commission is unanimously in favor of recommending to Council a study on whether there is
an appropriate way to reduce or limit turf grass and encourage lower water use.
7.Adjournment
Scott P McBride made a motion to Approve with the findings on page 13 of the staff memo; Bill Jensen
seconded the motion Passed (4 - 1).
Voting For: Bill Jensen, Brad Hagedorn, John Rediker, Scott P McBride
Voting Against: Robyn Smith
PEC Results 1-22-24.pdf
Robyn Smith made a motion to Approve ; Scott P McBride seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0).
Brad Hagedorn made a motion to Adjourn ; Robyn Smith seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0).
5
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of February 12, 2024 197
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Public Works
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:January 8, 2024 AIPP Meeting Minutes
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
January 8, 2024 Minutes.pdf
198
Art in Public Places Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, January 8, 2024
AIPP Board members present: Tracy Gordon, Susanne Graf, Kathy Langenwalter, Courtney St. John, Lindsea Stowe
Others present: Molly Eppard - AIPP Coordinator
1. Call to Order.
2. No Citizen Participation.
3. Main Agenda
3.1. Approval of December 4, 2023 meeting minutes.
December 4, 2023 - Minutes.pdf
3.2. Vail Winterfest 2024 update.
• The installation is on time and going smoothly despite the frigid temps and low snow levels.
• Social media impressions are high and other print media is also going well.
• Opening reception is Tuesday, January 9th @ 4:30 – 5:30 pm.
• Sponsorship is by Mountain Standard and Two Arrows for the opening along with swag giveaways.
• New banners are now installed in both main Vail roundabouts.
3.3. Introduction and review work by environmental artist Nikki Pike (zoom)
• The artist discusses process, materials, substructure, and construction for
her sculptures.
• Kathy asks her to review longevity and safety of her work.
3.4. Summer 2024 public art murals.
• Vail Valley Foundation (VVF) & GoPro Mountain Games 2024 commissioned mural:
• The Board agrees to continue the 2023 plan going forward for the VVF to install a mural at the same site in the
Vail Village Transportation Center (VV TRC) in conjunction with GoPro Mountain Games.
• The Board requests: the VVF prep the wall with their own manpower/materials in advance, have the mural
proposal presented and approved by the AIPP Board as the work is on TOV property, and include details about
the artist and mural in the ad vitrine adjacent to the mural as previously discussed. Logos will not be acceptable in
the artwork, but in the ad vitrine.
• AIPP/TOV Colorado Mural Project:
• Molly will engage with Colorado muralists to continue the program established by AIPP in 2019.
• The Board agrees the P1 entrance at the main stairs at VV TRC is a prime location. The new Logan sculptures
have created a great visual art setting and this entrance is an ideal location to include a mural.
• Lindsea suggests the selected muralist be the summer artist in residence with additional community activations.
4. Coordinator Updates.
• Molly has meetings with the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and Bravo! for possible summer collaborations.
• Update on Art Studio: the project is on pace with pre-construction meetings. Exploring possible geothermal
capabilities, as an exploratory well was drilled at the site.
• Molly will schedule an AIPP update Council presentation in the next two months.
• Playground design at Sunbird Park is being copied by Earthscape Play in Canada. Cease and desist letter sent.
https://collections.earthscapeplay.com/towers/forest-tower-trio
5. Adjournment.
199
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.2
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Missy Johnson, Housing
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:January 19, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2024-01-19 VLHA Minutes.pdf
200
Vail Local Housing Authority Minutes Friday, January 19, 2024
4:00 PM
Virtually via ZOOM
PRESENT ABSENT
Steve Lindstrom Craig Denton
Kristin Williams James Wilkins
Dan Godec
STAFF
George Ruther, Housing Director
Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator
1. Call to Order
1. 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 4:01 p.m. with a quorum present.
1.2 Zoom Meeting
2. Citizen Participation
2.1 Citizen Participation No comments.
3. Main Agenda
3.1 Prepare for Vail Home Partners Meeting on February 6 with the Vail Town
Council
This Authority meeting is in prep of the Joint Session with Town Council on Tuesday,
February 6. Th Authority agreed to cancel the Authority meeting currently scheduled for
February 13.
Lindstrom spoke about the history of the creation of Vail Home Partners and the 10
Housing Policies which can be found at vail.gov/housing under the Housing Documents
section.
Conversation ensued around the possibility of future capabilities for the Vail Home
Partners and variety of roles specific to the West Middle Creek Project. This body of Vail
Home Partners is a commonly used name when referencing the two organizations working
in tandem together, but it is not a legal entity.
The Authority seeks to gather input from the Town Council on the housing Authority’s role
in financing to be a better partner to the Council (grant funding, issuer of bonds and
anything in between).
1. Lindstrom referenced a 2022 memo and previous discussion items:
What is the Vail Town Council’s vision for the future of housing in Vail? What role does
partnering in housing solutions down valley play and how is it best to address the
unintended consequences? What does a down valley partnership look like?
2. From a housing perspective, what is going to be different 5 to 7 years from now? What
progress has the Town made towards achieving the housing goal? How have the
conditions changed?
201
3. There has been great progress towards the goal of 1,000 additional deed restrictions
based on the 2027 Strategic Housing Plan. Where do we want this to go in the future,
in town, out of town, for sale and for rent in determining the emphasis of dollars spent.
4. Additional Strategic Ideas from the Authority to consider in the final work session
memo were discussed and a few documents may be used as a reference and/or to
provide to new council members.
• Martha will provide the Town of Vail Stewardship Plan to the Authority, which
includes a housing element.
• Consider using the 2019 Economic Value of Housing as an inclusion in the packet
for Council and show the value, economic sense, and ROI to further community
housing projects.
5. Outcomes that the Authority seeks:
• What is the preferred role for the Authority in communications regionally with fellow
public partners or future projects such as West Middle Creek?
• Shall the Authority discuss future project locations in larger terms in preparation for
the future?
• Shall we have future conversations around re-allocation of funding or future
acquisition planning once Timber Ridge II residences are sold?
• Discussion around housing decision making, future Housing Policy Statements
and where does the Council sit regarding future housing projects outside the Town
limits?
4. Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
4.1 Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
Tuesday, January 23 - Via Zoom based on agenda and Authority availability
Thursday, February 1- Additional Authority Work Session via Zoom 8 a.m.
Tuesday, February 6 - Joint session with Town Council
Tuesday, February 13 - Authority meeting cancelled
5. Adjournment at 4:45 p.m.
5.1 Adjournment 5:00 PM (Estimate)
MOTION: Williams SECOND: Godec PASSED: (3 - 0)
6. Future Agenda Items
6.1 Vail Housing 2027
Land Banking
7. Next Meeting Date January 23, 2024, Virtually Via Zoom
202
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.3
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Missy Johnson, Housing
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:January 23, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2024-01-23 VLHA Minutes.pdf
203
Vail Local Housing Authority Minutes
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
3 p.m.
Virtually via ZOOM
PRESENT ABSENT
Steve Lindstrom
Craig Denton
Dan Godec
James Wilkins
Kristin Williams
STAFF
Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator
Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator
1. Call to Order
1.1 Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 3:02 p.m. with a full housing authority present on
zoom.
1.2 Zoom Meeting 1 (Pre-Executive Session) 30 Min.
1.3 Zoom Meeting 2 (Post-Executive Session) 5 Min.
2. Citizen Participation
2.1 Citizen Participation No comments.
3. Approval of Minutes
3.1 VLHA December 12, 2023 Minutes
Presenter(s): Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator
MOTION: Godec SECOND: Williams PASSED: (5 - 0)
4. Main Agenda
4.1 Leave of Absence Request
Presenter(s): Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator
Johnson presented an official leave of absence request and referenced the Vail Commons
Master Deed Restriction and the Town of Vail Employee Housing Guidelines. This owner
has never done a leave of absence and they have been in Vail for more than 20 years and
currently work in the Town of Vail.
With full consensus from the Authority, the owners will need to provide a lease and all
documentation to support an approved/qualified renter as stated in the Town of Vail
Housing Guidelines in order for final approval and in no way can the lease amount exceed
the monthly expenses for the cost of shall be equivalent to the monthly expenses for the
cost of principal and interest payments, taxes, property insurance, condominium or
homeowners assessments, utilities remaining in owner's name, plus an additional twenty
dollars ($20) and a reasonable (refundable) security deposit.
204
5. Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
5.1 Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
Presenter(s): Steve Lindstrom, VLHA Chairman
Godec updated the group regarding a meeting that he and Lindstrom had with Katie
Santambrogio of Social Impact Partners regarding a soon to come scope of work for
proposed grant writing efforts. They will bring the information back to the Authority once
available.
Lindstrom updated the Authority regarding a quarterly Eagle County Advisory Housing
Committee meeting that he attended.
Williams requested to add Sponsorship of the 2024 Habitat for Humanity Carpenter’s Ball
to a future Authority agenda.
Motion to exit regular session and enter Executive Session at 3:21 p.m.
MOTION: Williams SECOND: Godec PASSED: (5 - 0)
6. Executive Session
6.1 Executive Session per C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(a)(e) - to discuss the purchase,
acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property interests and to
determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations regarding: Vail
InDEED application.
Presenter(s): Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator
7. Any Action as a Result of Executive Session
7.1 Any Action as a Result of Executive Session
The regular session reconvened at 3:49 p.m. with all Authority members present except
for Williams.
There was a motion to direct staff as discussed during Executive Session.
MOTION: Godec SECOND: Denton PASSED: (4 - 0)
8. Adjournment
8.1 The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
MOTION: Denton SECOND: Wilkins PASSED: (4 - 0)
9. Future Agenda Items
9.1 Vail Housing 2027
Land Banking
Joint Work Session with Town Council
10. Next Meeting Dates
10.1 Thursday, February 1- Additional Authority Work Session via Zoom 8 a.m.
Tuesday, February 6 - Joint session with Town Council
205
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.4
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Housing
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:EHU Compliance Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
EHU Compliance Status Update Memo 02062024.pdf
206
Memorandum
To: Vail Town Council
From: Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator
Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator
Date: February 6, 2024
Subject: 2023 Deed-Restricted Employee Housing Compliance Status Report
I. SUMMARY
The Town of Vail Housing Department is charged with verifying compliance for 1,033
deed-restricted properties in the Town of Vail, annually. As a courtesy, Housing staff sent
letters to deed-restricted property owners on November 30, 2023, and January 9, 2024,
as well as email blasts on November 30, 2023 and January 10, 2024 reminding each of
their obligation to provide documentation demonstrating compliance by no later than
February 1, 2024, per the terms of the recorded deed-restrictions.
As a result, 1,027 deed-restricted property owners, or 99.4%, submitted the required
documentation by the February 1st deadline. This is an increase of 4% over the previous
year’s compliance. Out of the 6 non-compliant properties, one is a repeat offender.
On February 2, 2024, Housing staff mailed 6 letters for non-compliance to 6 deed-
restricted property owners. Owners were granted a deadline of February 29, 2024 to pay
the $250 late fee and submit compliance. If owners do not respond by the required
deadline, a summons to appear in municipal court will be issued by the Police
Department.
II. NEXT STEPS
Beginning March 1, 2024, the Housing staff, in collaboration with the Police Department,
will prepare evidentiary files in anticipation of issuing summons for failure to comply with
the deed restriction terms. Once a summons has been written, the issue of non -
compliance will transition from a compliance matter to an enforcement matter.
207
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.5
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Carlie Smith, Finance
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:2023 2nd Quarter Investment Report
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2023 Q2 Investment Report.pdf
208
TO: Russell Forrest
Carlie Smith
Council Members
FROM: Alex Jakubiec
DATE: 2nd Qtr 2023
RE: Investment Report
Enclosed is the investment report with balances as of June 30, 2023
The estimated average yield for the pooled cash fund is 4.3%. As of 6/30/2023
the Treasury yield curves for 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year are 5.43%, 5.47%,
and 5.4% respectively.
Our investment mix follows the policy objectives of safety, liquidity, and yield in that order.
Please call me if you have any questions.
TOWN OF VAIL MEMORANDUM
Gov't Securities
$35.4
20%
CD's $19.6
11%Colorado
Investment Pool
$87.4
49%
Cash $37.9
20%
2023 2nd Qtr Investment Mix
$178.8M
209
2023
Balances Percentage Percentage
Cash of Total Allowed
Commercial Banks $35,292,499 19.74% 50%
Money Market Funds $990,951 0.55% 100%
Total Cash $36,283,449 20.29%
U.S. Government Securities
Government Agency Securities -First Western $9,920,900 5.55%
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana $25,499,427 14.26% 100%
Total Government Securities $35,420,327 19.81%
Certificates of Deposit $19,621,204 10.98%
Colorado Investment Pools $87,439,542 48.91%100%
Total Portfolio $178,764,524 100.0%
Maturing Within 12 Months 150,445,398 84.16%
Maturing Within 24 Months 7,693,967 4.30%
Maturing After 24 Months 20,625,159 11.54%
178,764,524 100.0%
2-5 Yrs 13,219,504 7.39%
over 5 7,405,654 4.14%
20,625,159
Town of Vail, Colorado
Investment Report
Summary of Accounts and Investments
As of 6/30/2023
210
Institution Average Balances
Type of Accounts Return 06/30/23
"CASH" ACCOUNTS
Commercial Bank Accounts:
First Bank of Vail - Operating Accounts 4.500% $35,292,499
Money Market Accounts:
Schwab Institutional Money Market Fund - Dana Investments
Interest and Balance 0.450% $914,470
First Western Fidelity IMM Gov Class 4.750% $71,079
Interest and Balance 4.740% $5,402
Total Money Market Funds $990,951
Total "Cash" Accounts $36,283,449
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
FNMA'S, FHLMC'S & NGO'S -First Western 1.85% 9,920,900$
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana 2.09% 25,499,427$
35,420,327$
Total Government Securities 35,420,327$
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0571) Matures March 11, 2024 4.860% 10,152,094
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0563) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,172,126
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0555) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,610,167
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0547) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,149,730
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0539) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,148,047
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0520) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,149,471
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0519) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,195,708
Piper Jaffray 173576AJ8 Matures October 25, 2024 4.400% 146,002
Piper Jaffray 40449HAD9 Matures October 27, 2025 4.540% 144,907
Piper Jaffray 17312QQ36 Matures July 24, 2023 3.300% 149,802
Piper Jaffray 254673RVO Matures July 25, 2023 3.300% 99,863
Piper Jaffray 06426KAMO Matures July 31, 2023 3.200% 249,570
Piper Jaffray 29278TCG3 Matures July 31, 2023 3.200% 239,587
Piper Jaffray 947547NL5 Matures Oct 30, 2023 0.400% 127,901
Piper Jaffray 39573LDW5 Matures Oct 28,2025 4.810% 241,452
Piper Jaffray 917352AD8 Matures Oct 28, 2025 4.770% 246,108
Piper Jaffray 33715LFM7 Matures December 30, 2025 5.180% 149,090
Piper Jaffray 58404DCM1 Matures July 31, 2023 3.250% 249,580
19,621,204
Total Certificates of Deposit 19,621,204$
LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS
Colotrust General Fund
Interest 4.924% $87,439,542
Total Local Government Investment Pools Accounts $87,439,542
Total All Accounts $178,764,523
Performance Summary
211
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.6
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Carlie Smith, Finance
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:2023 3rd Quarter Investment Report
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2023 Q3 Investment Report.pdf
212
TO: Russell Forrest
Council Members
FROM: Carlie Smith
DATE: 3rd Qtr 2023
RE: Investment Report
Enclosed is the investment report with balances as of September 30, 2023
The estimated average yield for the pooled cash fund is 4.4%. As of 9/30/2023
the Treasury yield curves for 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year are 5.55%, 5.53%,
and 5.46% respectively.
Our investment mix follows the policy objectives of safety, liquidity, and yield in that order.
Please call me if you have any questions.
TOWN OF VAIL MEMORANDUM
Gov't
Securities
$35.5
22%
CD's $19.8
12%
Colorado Investment
Pool $70.0
43%
Cash $37.6
23%
2023 3rd Qtr Investment Mix
$162.9 M
213
2023
Balances Percentage Percentage
Cash of Total Allowed
Commercial Banks $36,306,446 22.29% 50%
Money Market Funds $1,269,988 0.78% 100%
Total Cash $37,576,434 23.07%
U.S. Government Securities
Government Agency Securities -First Western $9,798,667 6.02%
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana $25,712,300 15.79% 100%
Total Government Securities $35,510,967 21.81%
Certificates of Deposit $19,824,141 12.17%
Colorado Investment Pools $69,956,108 42.95%100%
Total Portfolio $162,867,650 100.0%
Maturing Within 12 Months 129,218,859 79.34%
Maturing Within 24 Months 13,625,921 8.37%
Maturing After 24 Months 20,022,870 12.29%
162,867,650 100.0%
2-5 Yrs 12,592,543 7.73%
over 5 7,430,327 4.56%
20,022,870
Town of Vail, Colorado
Investment Report
Summary of Accounts and Investments
As of 9/30/2023
214
Institution Average Balances
Type of Accounts Return 09/30/23
"CASH" ACCOUNTS
Commercial Bank Accounts:
First Bank of Vail - Operating Accounts 4.500% $36,306,446
Money Market Accounts:
Schwab Institutional Money Market Fund - Dana Investments
Interest and Balance 0.450% $989,730
First Western Fidelity IMM Gov Class 5.000% $267,193
Interest and Balance 4.980% $13,066
Total Money Market Funds $1,269,988
Total "Cash" Accounts $37,576,434
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
FNMA'S, FHLMC'S & NGO'S -First Western 3.07% 9,798,667$
FNMA'S, GNMA'S, FHLMC'S & SBA'S - Dana 2.32% 25,712,300$
35,510,967$
Total Government Securities 35,510,967$
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0571) Matures March 11, 2024 4.860% 10,273,027
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0563) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,186,089
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0555) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,629,347
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0547) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,163,426
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0539) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,161,723
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0520) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,163,163
1st Bank, Vail Colorado (#0519) Matures March 8, 2024 4.860% 1,209,952
Piper Sandler 560390BW5 Matures August ,17 2027 4.580% 196,486
Piper Sandler 32022RVJ3 Matures January 30, 2026 4.830% 194,276
Piper Sandler 724468AH6 Matures July 31, 2026 4.830% 191,732
Piper Sandler 88423MAA3 Matures July 31, 2026 4.830% 203,351
Piper Sandler 062119CC4 Matures July 28, 2027 4.750% 195,678
Piper Sandler 173576AJ8 Matures October 25, 2024 4.450% 146,017
Piper Sandler 40449HAD9 Matures October 27, 2025 4.540% 144,796
Piper Sandler 947547NL5 Matures Oct 30, 2023 0.400% 129,446
Piper Sandler 39573LDW5 Matures Oct 28,2025 4.820% 241,085
Piper Sandler 917352AD8 Matures Oct 28, 2025 4.780% 245,760
Piper Sandler 33715LFM7 Matures December 30, 2025 5.190% 148,788
19,824,141
Total Certificates of Deposit 19,824,141$
LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS
Colotrust General Fund
Interest 5.166% $69,956,108
Total Local Government Investment Pools Accounts $69,956,108
Total All Accounts $162,867,650
Performance Summary
As of 9/30/2023
215
AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager
ITEM TYPE:Town Manager Report
AGENDA SECTION:Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports
(20 min.)
SUBJECT:Town Manager Report
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
TM Update 021624.docx
216
Town Managers Update
February 20, 2024
1. Strategic Goals & Actions
The dates for the strategic planning meeting are February 26 and 27th in the Grand View room. We
anticipate starting at 8:30 a.m. on both days.
2. Legislative Update
Staff has invited Senator Roberts and Representative Lukens to the March 5th Town Council meeting
in the afternoon to provide a legislative update to the Town Council. Staff will prepare a memo that
summarizes a variety of bills that may be of interest to the Town of Vail to discuss with the Senator
and Representative.
3. Letter of Support for Town of Eagle grant request
The Town of Eagle has requested a letter of support for their Grand Avenue Multimodal
Reconstruction Project. The Town of Eagle provided a letter of support to the RTA and the RTA
voted to sign the provided letter. There were concerns about the specific letter of support that was
provided in that it strongly accentuated the value of this project for regional transit. In consultation
with Barry Davis, staff prepared a more specific letter of support for this federal grant (RAISE) grant.
Would Council like to authorize the Mayor to sign this letter of support? A summary of this
project can be found at 2024 Grand Avenue Multi-modal Corridor.docx (live.com)
4. Building Code Adoption in Eagle County
At the last Town Council meeting, the Council asked for a table that would compare building and
electrical codes adopted by jurisdictions in Eagle County. The following is a table provided by
Community Development.
(ICC: International Code Council; NEC: National Electrical Code; IECC: International Energy
Conservation Code). The Community Development Department will come before Council in June-July of
this year with a request to adopt the 2023 ICC and NEC code cycles.
5. Other
There may be other topics the Town Manager needs to share with the Town Council.
Jurisdiction ICC
Codes
NEC
Avon 2021 2020
Eagle 2021 2020
Eagle
County
2015 2020
Gypsum 2021 2023 (2018
IECC)
Minturn 2021 2023
Vail 2021 2020
217
Page 2
February 20, 2024
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg
Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
Please accept this letter in support of the Town of Eagle's submission for an implementation grant under
the FY 2024 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant
program for the Grand Avenue Multimodal Reconstruction Project.
The Town of Eagle is located just east of the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) and our guests must
travel to and from the airport through the Town of Eagle on Grand Avenue, also known as U.S. Highway
6, to reach Vail. In addition, many of our employees must also travel this same corridor to support our
tourism economy. The Grand Avenue Multimodal Reconstruction Project will improve safety, mobility and
congestion by consolidating access points and adding travel lanes and roundabouts at major intersections
on this one-mile-plus stretch of Grand Avenue in the Town of Eagle. Mobility and safety will also be
enhanced by adding a bikeway and sidewalk on Grand Avenue along with enhancing the connections to
the existing transit stops at 5th Street and Sylvan Lake Roads.
In summary this project will encourage economic growth and redevelopment to revitalize Eagle’s economy,
support our workforce commuters, and improve mobility between Interstate 70 and the Eagle County
Airport. This project will have both a positive impact on the Town of Eagle and improve regional
transportation for the valley.
Again, we ask that you award the Town of Eagle a RAISE grant for the Grand Avenue Multimodal
Reconstruction Project and advance this crucial infrastructure project which will benefit the Town of Eagle
and all of Eagle County.
Thank you for your consideration and hopefully, your support.
Sincerely,
Travis Coggin
Mayor
218
Page 3
PRIORITY VAIL TOWN COUNCIL GOALS FOR 2023
CATEGORY GOALS NEXT STEPS WHO
Housing The Town of Vail will acquire
1,000 additional resident
housing deed restrictions by
the year 2027 as compared to
2017. By October 1, 2023:
1.Complete the
Residences at Main Vail.
2.Initiate the entitlement
process for the Timber
Ridge and West Middle
Creek housing
developments.
3.Acquire the East Vail
CDOT parcel and initiate
the design process.
4.Initiate the acquisition
process for one
additional parcel of land
to create a significant
regional housing
development.
5.Amend the commercial
linkage requirements and
adopt residential linkage
1. Residents moved into RMV on September 1st, 20223.
2. A development agreement has been executed with
Triumph development for 290+ units at Timber Ridge and
final approvals have been received. Construction anticipated
to start in May 2024.
3. The Town is working with Corum to develop West Middle
Creek. This project is currently in the DRB process.
4. The Town is under contract to purchase 3 CDOT parcels
including the east Vail parcel, land adjacent to West Middle
Creek housing site, and the Timber Ridge housing project.
We anticipate closing on the Timber Ridge and West Middle
Creek CDOT parcels in the next four weeks.
5. TOV and other stakeholders have begun working with the
State Land Board on the Dowd Junction property.
We are on track to exceeding this goal.
Housing Director lead,
supported by Town
Manager & Deputy
Manager, Finance
Dept, Public Works,
Com Dev, Econ Dev
Civic Hub and
Town Hall
By November 1, 2023:
Determine a program,
budget, and critical path
to renovate Dobson Ice
Arena so that it will
continue to serve Vail for
another 40 to 50 years.
By no later than September 1
of 2024, (Modified by council
on July 18, 2003)
the town will Determine
whether to renovate or
relocate Town of Vail
offices and if relocated
determine best
location(s), a budget, and
a timeline for relocation
or renovation and
determine the preferred
community uses to be
developed at the Civic
Hub. “
Dobson: Staff has received cost proposals from three
general contractors for Dobson. These costs exceed the
$55 million budget and the contractors are providing ideas
on how to bring the project back to budget.
Town Hall/Civic Center: Contract awarded to
4240/Design Workshop/EPS to conduct spatial, floor
planning, and economic analysis on Civic Hub site,
Municipal Complex, and Public Works Site
Public Works Director -
Dobson/ Town
Manager & Com Dev
Director, Econ Dev
Excellent
Customer
Service
By November 1, 2023:
Create a clear definition
for providing excellent
customer service to our
residents and guests for
town services and a
means of measuring to
what degree we are
providing excellent
customer service.
Identify and implement
metrics for objectively
measuring organizational
The goal is to create clear standards for customer service
related to our residents, guests, and internal customer
service. On November 7th, staff provided a framework for
achieving this goal. Full implementation of this goal will
occur in 2024. On November 7
th Council reviewed high
level goals for this project and a framework for measuring
those goals. There was general acceptance of the proposed
next steps.
Town Manager and
Leadership Team
219
Page 4
effectiveness and health
so that a baseline is
developed which can be
improved on in future
years.
Land Use
Regulations
Support Town
Goals
By November 1, 2023:
Review and analyze Title 12
Zoning, the Official Zoning
Map, Title 14 Development
Standards, and other
pertinent land use policy
language including the Town
of Vail Comprehensive Plan.
Bring forward
recommendations for
amendments to help foster
the creation of affordable
housing and improved
efficiency of the development
review process.
Staff has completed an extensive set of recommendations to
align the zoning code and administrative policy with the goal
of creating affordable housing and these recommendations
have been implemented or adopted by the Town Council.
Examples of implementation include creating two affordable
housing zone districts that provide flexibility for future
housing project sand greater predictability by being more
prescriptive with standards (versus a negotiation).
Ordinances implementing these recommendations have
been approved by the Town Council.
Community
Development Director,
Public Works Director,
Fire Chief
The following is an update on the 26 Council priority actions identified in 2022:
Vail Town Council Action Plan
PROJECT MILESTONE UPDATES POINT of
CONTACT
COMMUNITY
West Vail
Master Plan
Implementation
Phase 1, Housing: Implementation of recommendations in
Chapter 3, WVMP.Ordinance No. 19 adopted 10/07/23
May 2022 – October 2023.
Phase 2, Commercial (West Vail Center): Implementation of
recommendations in Chapter 2, WVMP. Overview and proposed
next steps, December 2023.
Phase 3, Transportation & Mobility: Implement recommendations
in Chapter 4, WVMP.
Coordinate implementation timeline in context of town-wide
Transportation Master Plan.
Matt Gennett,
Community
Development
Director
Timber Ridge
Apartments
Redevelopment
Contract executed with Triumph Development to build Timber
Ridge II.
Aug. 1, 2023: Updated market study, design development, and
entitlement approval process to redevelop Timber Ridge Village
Apartments.
Final approvals are being obtained from the PEC and DRB.
Spring 2024
Construction begins.
Feb. 1 – Apr. 1, 2025
New units expected to be completed and available for phased
occupancy.
George Ruther,
Director of Housing
Ford Park
Master Plan
Amendments
Ford Park Master Plan Amendments. An update was provided to
Town Council on July 18 and the plan was approved by Council on
Nov.7th. The plan has many elements with potential for
implementation over several years, dependent upon funding and
prioritization. The Ford Park Operating Committee will be formed and
begin meeting in early 2024 with the purpose of recommending items
for implementation to Town Council.
Todd
Oppenheimer,
Capital Projects
Manager
Short Term
Rental Policy
Amendments
Jan. 1, 2023
Effective implementation date of Ordinance No. 11, Series of 2022.
Feb. 28, 2023
STR license renewal deadline.
Carlie Smith,
Finance Director
220
Page 5
Early Childhood
Initiatives
Funding in 2023 ($250,000) for Council supported areas including:
Community Tuition Assistance - ongoing grants for incomes
below 450% of federal poverty
Workforce Retention – grants to 2 programs for 2023
Expansion and Sustainability of ECE programs
– infant subsidy and facility/lease support
– pursuing expansion opportunities via in-home and/or new
spaces
Capital support – facility maintenance support ongoing & future
capital support TBD
Krista Miller,
Human Resources
Director
Permanent
Location for
Children’s
Garden of
Learning
Lease at temporary location expires 2026 or earlier pending 180
days’ notice. Staff are working to identify potential sites.
Matt Gennett,
Community
Development
Director
Kathleen Halloran,
Deputy Town
Manager
Wildland Urban
Interface Code
Amendments
May 2023
Town Council update on 2022 Fire Free Five grant program.
May-October 2023
Implement 2023 Fire Free Five grant program.
Spring 2024 Fire Free Five code adoption consideration.
Mark Novak, Fire
Chief
ENVIRONMENT
USFS Booth
Creek Fuels
Reduction
Project
July 2023 USFS Record of Decision issued.
Winter 2023/2024
Identify costs and funding sources.Cultural clearance.
2024-2030
Implementation - timeline is variable due to external factors.
Mark Novak, Fire
Chief
Identify
Alternative Fuel
Solutions
2022 - First boiler replacement operational. Collecting data on usage.
Town is under contract with the Grey Edge Group, to study feasibility
of a networked geothermal system for decarbonizing the snowmelt
system. Experts toured Vail infrastructure on May 8th.
Kristen Bertuglia,
Enviro mental
Sustainability
Director
Sustainable
Strategic Plan
Jan. – Dec. 2023 Kristen Bertuglia,
Environmental
Sustainabilty
Director
Wildlife Crossing
at Dowd
Junction
Feasibility and design RFP in 2023 to identify additional crossing
opportunities in addition to Dowd.
Kristen Bertuglia,
Environmental
Sustainability
Director
Global
Friendship |
Peer Resort
Exchange
Programming
Staff to present a Global Friendship and Peer Resort proposed plan
to town council in Q1, including existing relationships and exploring
future visits to share best practices and learn from leading
destinations. 2024
Mia Vlaar,
Economic
Development
Director.
Kristen Bertuglia,
Environmental
Sustainability
Director
Cultural Heritage
Preservation &
Programs
2023 Budget is $25,000.
March 21, 2023 – Resolution No 4 passed for the Naming or
Commemoration of town-owned properties. Town’s website has
been updated to include an online application.
Partner on Trailblazer Award process.
Continued work in 2023 - Summervail Archives (on hold for now,
need to reconnect with their team) ; Vail Valley Voices (ongoing
project with many more oral histories still to be captured) ;
Lori A. Barnes,
Director of Library
Services
221
Page 6
Library’s 40th Anniversary (celebration was first announced in
March ; historic display on Hauserman table through the summer,
Galleria display exhibit opened in August; July 4th Book ‘n Bake
Sales (Theme is “This Library is Your Library – 40 Years Strong”)
; Eagle County celebrates 140 years (Library hosted the traveling
photography exhibit in April) ; CHC website has been further
updated to include cultural initiatives from other departments ;
CHC committee meets bimonthly.
Open Lands
Plan
2022-2028 - Biodiversity study to kick off in late summer 2022. Field
work began June 15
Kristen Bertuglia,
Environmental
Sustainability
Director
Building Code
Regs & Climate
Action Plan
Implementation
May 2022 Phase 1 complete – Adoption of 2021 ICC Codes with
additions for solar and EV readiness 2023.
Phase 2 – Roadmap to Zero, incentives to include outdoor energy
uses/snowmelt offset program. Solar RFP responses received,
contract to be completed June 20.
Matt Gennett,
Community
Development
Director
ECONOMY
2. Dobson and
Civic Area Plan
Implementation
Dobson Ice Arena – By November 1st, 2023, determine cost for
Dobson; by November 2024 determine location for Town Hall
services.Dobson:Architect/design firm and owner’s rep presented
conceptual designs for Dobson Ice Arena renovations during a Joint
meeting with VRD and Town Council on July 18. Conceptual designs
were adjusted based on feedback. Town Council presentation on
August 1st responding to seating capacity questions and asking to
continue moving forward with the recommended design and funding
plan. August 15th contract for schematic design awarded to Populous
team and moving forward with the $55M option. Schematic design
was presented to Town Council on Dec 5.
Civic Area – Contract awarded to 4240/Design Workshop/EPS to
conduct spatial, floor planning, and economic analysis on Civic Hub
site, Municipal Complex, and Public Works Site.
Matt Gennett,
Community
Development
Director
Greg Hall, Public
Works Director
4. Zoning
Review
Propose changes to zoning regulations to enhance or encourage
workforce housing: Ordinance No. 17 approved on 09/19/23 which
allows development on steep slopes in H district. First reading of
Ordinance Nos. 24 & 25 on 11/07/23 to make certain strategic
amendments to the H district and allow higher retaining wall heights
for housing development in the proposed H and H2 zone districts.
Matt Gennett,
Community
Development
Director
Special Events
Funding Model
Alternatives
Initiative
As part of the reimagining and restructure of the economic
development department as a destination marketing organization
(DMO), special events strategy and funding will be explored in Q2.
Carl Ribaudo is providing consulting services to address the town’s
reorganization into a Destination Marketing Organization including
marketing, special events, welcome centers, and business
development.
Mia Vlaar,
Economic
Development
Director
Vail’s
Stewardship
Roadmap
Adoption of plan by resolution by Vail Town Council occurred in
August, 2023 and initial implementation was built into deaprtmetn
budgets. An RFP has been published to engage a destination
stewardship consultant to support the implementation of the plan and
community adoption in 2024.i
Mia Vlaar,
Economic
Development
Director
Next Steps for
TIF Funding
Estimated funds available between 2022 and 2030 total
approximately $45 million. Timeline: 3 - 5 years
Current plan is to use remaining $45M toward the $55M Dobson Ice
Arena renovations.
Kathleen Halloran,
Deputy Town
Manager
Economic
Development
Following the reimagining and restructuring of the department as a
destination marketing organization (DMO), the economic
Mia Vlaar,
Economic
222
Page 7
Strategic Plan
Update
development strategic plan will be wrapped into the overall new TOV
Strategic Plan set for development in 2024.
Development
Director
EXPERIENCE
3. Excellent
Customer
Service
By November 1, 2023, achieve the following:
Create a clear definitions of excellent customer service to our
residents and guests and a means of measuring to what degree
we are providing excellent customer service.
Identify and implement a metric for objectively measuring
organizational effectiveness and health so that a baseline is
developed which can be improved on in future years.
Presentation to Town Council November 7 of a high-level summary
for implementation of Excellent Customer Service Plan. November 7
also includes a presentation by RRC & Associates with the summary
results of post-visit guest surveys from Winter ‘22/’23 and Summer
‘23.
Kathleen Halloran,
Deputy Town
Manager
Go Vail 2045 –
Vail Mobility &
Transportation
Master Plan
July 2022 – May 2024.
Completed existing conditions public outreach/analysis and Noise
Study update. Team is in the process of drafting initial
recommendations which will be presented to the public and Council
this summer for initial comment and feedback. Presentations made
to Town Council August 1, August 15; Oct 17, and Dec 19. An
overview summary of these presentations will be coming in early
2024.
Tom Kassmel,
Town Engineer
Public Works
Shops
Expansion and
Access
Improvements
March 2021 – June 2022. - Access Improvements: Engaged design
team to provide a scope to provide additional steps to provide access
to the upper level of the public works shop building.
Greg Hall, Public
Works Director
E-Vail Courier
Implementation
Oct. 1, 2022 - Full implementation began. Council was updated on
May 16th on the success of the program and lessons learned. Town
Council passed an ordinance in October for an expansion of the
program to include large couriers such as FedEx/UPS. The town is
currently fighting a request for a Temporary Restraining Order by
these two carriers.
Ryan Kenney,
Police Commander
Regional
Transportation
Ballot measure passed in Nov. 2022. Town Council member Barry
Davis is serving as the town’s representative on the RTA board. This
first year will be spent establishing the new RTA.The RTA provided
an update to Town Council on August 1
st
Public Parking
Initiatives
New parking rates and passes were implemented at the start of the
2022/23 winter season. On April 18, Town Council approved
recommendations by the Parking Task Force to implement changes
to summer parking overnight rates and event parking rates at Ford
Park. Parking Task force met July 21 to continue discussions for the
upcoming winter parking program. Town Council approved the winter
parking plan on August 15th. Parking Task Force set to meet in the
coming month to recap the summer parking program and learnings
from new initiatives (carpool, etc)
Greg Hall, Public
Works Director
Guest
Experience
Initiatives
PrimaVail and PrimaService programming will continue through
winter season
Mia Vlaar,
Economic
Development
Director
223
Page 8
224
AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.2
Item Cover Page
DATE:February 20, 2024
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager
ITEM TYPE:Town Manager Report
AGENDA SECTION:Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports
(20 min.)
SUBJECT:Council Matters and Status Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
240220 Matters.docx
2023 Town of Vail Social Media Year in Review FINAL (1).pdf
225
COUNCIL MATTERS
Status Report
Report for February 20, 2024
Town Council would like a conversation prior to next winter season regarding the
DEVO ski school program and parking issues in the Vail Transit Center.
Town Council has requested a matrix comparing town of Vail building code
regulations to other municipalities in order to identify similarities and/or differences
Town Council was interested in a tour of Eagle River Water & Sanitation
District facilities. ERWSD is happy to host a tour; we’re looking at Council
Tuesdays in late March to early May for a potential date.
Town Council gave a shout out to the Public Safety team during all the I-70
closures and are encouraged by the increased enforcement at Hanson Ranch Rd.
Social Media Listening
In lieu of a Social Listening report we are providing the 2023 Social Media Year in Review,
attached below.
In the News______________________________________________________
Feb. 1
Mountain Town ADUs Exempt from Legislation
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/colorados-mountain-towns-adu-bill/
Vail.Gov Transition
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/town-of-vail-transitions-to-new-website-domain/
Continuing to Make Progress -Valley Voices
https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/howard-continuing-to-make-progress/
Feb. 2
Upcoming Bills at Capitol
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/bills-being-debated-at-the-colorado-capitol-could-impact-
outdoor-recreation/
226
Feb. 5
Rod Slifer
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/rod-slifer-a-true-vail-original-embodied-the-spirit-of-the-town-
and-the-mountain/
Feb. 6
Disney Ties to Vail
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/new-book-details-disneys-attempt-to-build-a-ski-resort-and-ties-
to-vail/
Feb. 7
Lunch with the Locals - Shoshone
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/shoshone-water-rights-locals-lunch/
Learning from our Elders (Rod Slifer tribute) - Editorial
https://www.parkrecord.com/opinion/journalism-matters-learning-from-our-elders/
AIPP and DRB Vacancies
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-seeks-applicants-for-design-review-art-in-public-places-
boards/
Feb. 8
Dr. Eck Selected as Trailblazer Award Recipient
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/jack-eck-one-of-vails-first-doctors-and-a-health-care-pioneer-
receives-the-2024-trailblazer-award/
Shoshone Water Rights
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/how-the-shoshone-water-rights-acquisition-helps-eagle-county/
Vail PD Seeks Stalker
https://denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/news/mountain-town-police-search-for-suspect-in-
potential-stalking-case/article_dd18a366-c69e-11ee-b1eb-43b31c73d78a.html
Feb. 9
Car Share Program
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-car-share-program/
Feb. 11
Dr. Eck Selected as Trailblazer Award Recipient
https://www.realvail.com/dr-jack-eck-named-2024-town-of-vail-trailblazer-award-
recipient/a18381/
Rod Slifer Tributes
https://www.realvail.com/rod-slifer-helped-make-a-meadow-into-a-mountain-town-with-his-
warmth-wit-and-wisdom/a18375/
https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/carnes-the-man-the-myth-my-reality/
Feb. 12
A Tale of Two Bills
227
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/a-tale-of-two-bills-rival-short-term-rental-bill-expected-to-be-
introduced-in-the-colorado-legislature-soon/
Feb. 14
Building a Continuum of Housing
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/where-can-vail-build-a-continuum-of-housing-for-its-residents/
One Month in at the Capitol - Valley Voices
https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/roberts-one-month-in-at-the-capitol/
Thank You, Come On and Wow - letter
https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/letter-thank-you-come-on-and-wow/
Upcoming Dates
March 5 Annual Community Meeting: Donovan Pavilion 4:30pm doors open;
meeting begins 5pm
228
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Town of Vail - Government @vailgov
Vail Police Department @vailcopolice
Vail Fire and Emergency
Services @vailfiredept
Vail Public Library @vail_public_library
@restoregorecreek
229
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Town of Vail - Overview by Kari Mohr Town of Vail - Government
The audience breakdown of the Town of Vail Facebook and Instagram show that the often hard to reach
25-44 demographic is strongly represented in our followers, with Instagram skewing even younger
than Facebook. These followers are mostly represented by locals, which creates avenues to reach our
younger residents that might not sign up for emails or attend our in-person events.
Social media algorithms are the engine of what content gets seen by users, and the more engagement a
page gets the more the channels will continue to serve up their content - hence the communications
department’s strategy to mix high-engagement content with informational messaging. Looking at the
topic tags, you see that “Fun/Scenic” and “Town Council” posts are the top two topics by volume.
In 2023 Instagram went all in on favoring videos which they term as “Reels”, as a result every top post
on Instagram was a Reel. Aware of this change, the Communications Department increased usage of
Reels from 13 in 2022 to 56 in 2023.
Facebook post success is primarily driven by shares and comments, which is why many of the top
performing posts were historic images that inspired nostalgic conversations in the comment section. Also,
fun to see that our April Fools post made it into the top 5 - a sign that our audience is open to the town
having some fun and a sense of humor. The top Instagram posts showed a nice mix of topics, from the
employee mountain top party to a public input plug featuring a young constituent advocating for
responsible fishing to the 4th of July parade, a housing lottery winner, a scenic video of the clash of
seasons taken from the North Trail and a Art in Public Places installation. It goes to show that a mix of
content can connect with our audience and showcase the diverse work that makes up the Town of Vail.
You don’t have to be an industry insider to have heard about the drama over at X, formerly Twitter,
which had been the town’s longest serving and highest post volume social media channel until the
ownership change. Many individuals and brands have moved away from the platform, causing a sharp
decline in engagement rates. The town has moved away from live tweeting Town Council meetings and
while we still post regularly on the platform, it is no longer a main focus of our communications efforts.
One metric that is down significantly is Instagram Received Messages, which is the number of posts,
comments and private messages our page received. This can be attributed to the 71% jump in received
messages from 2021 to 2022, which stemmed from the April 2022 condemnation vote coupled with
the parking pass changes that went into effect that winter season. These two events created a very
high volume of tags, comments and private messages on Instagram that wasn’t as prevalent in 2023.
@vailgov
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
230
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
Town of VailFACEBOOK
163,163 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
807,289
41.7%
Audience Snapshot Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Top Follower Locations
Vail 11.8% | Avon 7.3% | Edwards 5.2%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
39,003
19.5%
Audience
4,286
17.2%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
726
48.5%
150+” of snow clearing message - Image
35,787 Impressions
Historic summer - Image
25,021 Impressions
Mental health/historic - Image
24,226 Impressions
NYE Informational - Image
18,553 Impressions
April Fools - Image
16,204 Impressions
Art in Public Places - Image
25-34 35-44 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
45-54 55-64 65+
356 total posts 5%
Breakdown: 339 Posts (includes video, image, text), 11 Reels, 6 Ads.
What are we talking about on Town of Vail Facebook?
(Tags are added manually so oer a representative sample )
Impressions by Month12
3 4
5 6
231
Impressions by Month
What are we talking about on Town of Vail Instagram?
(Tags are added manually so oer a representative sample )
Top Follower Locations
Vail 13.4% | Edwards 7.5% | Avon 6.8%
13,299 Impressions
Mountain Top Employee Party - Reel
4,255 Impressions
3rd Grade Buttery Release - Reel
Ziggy Public Comment - Reel
6,165 Impressions
4th of July - Reel
5,440 Impressions
Housing Lottery Winner - Reel
4,910 Impressions
Scenic/First Snow - Reel
4,600 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
Town of VailINSTAGRAM
488,601
10.8%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
16,929
15.1%
Audience
5,705
13%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
1,885
32.7%
Audience Snapshot Men 39.4% Women 60.6%
18-24 25-34 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
35-44 45-54 55-64
400 total posts 10.8%
Breakdown: 122 images, 56 Reels, 222 Stories.
1 2
3 4
5 6
232
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Vail Police - Overview by Camille Deering Vail Police Department @vailcopolice
The Vail Police Department continued to show double-digit growth in their audiences on
both their Instagram and Facebook platforms. On Facebook, press release posts notifying
the public of recent crime and arrests continue to be the most popular and drive the most
conversation. VPD’s Facebook audience continues to be engaged and give feedback on
posts involving police activity.
On Instagram, VPD introduced a couple reels this year with success. The reel featuring
the Ride in Remembrance performed well and the department hopes to produce more
reels in 2024. The VPD Instagram platform focuses on the lighter side of police activity
with posts featuring officers having fun on patrol or hosting events.
For 2024, the Vail Police Department would like to continue growing their audiences and
focus on creating more engaging content like reels. While we will continue to post crime
press releases, VPD hopes to grow content that shows officers doing more of the great
work they do in Vail.
233
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
PoliceFACEBOOK
938,547
1.9%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
152,721
2%
Audience
7,429
14.1%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
804
31.5%
Audience Snapshot Men 42.6% Women 57.4%
Top Follower Locations
Vail 7.6% | Avon 7.4% | Gypsum 6.5%
25-34 35-44 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
45-54 55-64 65+
174 total posts 7%
Breakdown: 173 Posts (includes video, image, text), 1 Reel
5
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
1 2 2
26,082 Impressions
Burglary Arrest - Image
3 4
23,137 Impressions
Fight at Red Lion - Image
5
20,692 Impressions
Roundabout Work Detour - Image
6
20,641 Impressions
Moncler Theft - Image7
20,232 Impressions
Stolen Bikes - Images8
78,494 Impressions
On Patrol at Vail Apres - Image
47,699 Impressions
Bike Theft Arrest - Split Image
28,688 Impressions
Grappa Theft - Images
1 2 3
Impressions by Month
234
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
PoliceINSTAGRAM
41,766
19.7%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
2,346
30%
Audience
1,729
12.5%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
189
4.1%
Top Follower Locations
Vail 12.2% | Edwards 9.3% | Eagle 8.5%
Audience Snapshot Men 44.4% Women 55.6%
25-34 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
35-44 45-54 55-64 55-64
43 total posts .07%
Breakdown: 37 images, 2 Reels, 4 Stories.
926 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
“Catch A Craysh” - Image
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
1 2 2
1,525 Impressions
Bike to School Day - Images
3 4
1,469 Impressions
Ride in Remembrance - Reel
5
1,362 Impressions
Slow Down, Move Over - Image
6
1,285 Impressions
Cunningham Remembrance -Image7
1,261 Impressions
Closing Day - Image8
2,579 Impressions
On Patrol at Vail Apres - Image
2,201 Impressions
Rock Slide Dowd - Images
1,670 Impressions
Patrol Car Rear-Ended - Image123
Impressions by Month
235
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Vail Fire - Overview by Katherine Blocker Vail Fire and Emergency
Services @vailfiredept
Vail Fire’s audience and engagement on both Facebook and Instagram continues to grow
year after year. It's clear that our community values content that is relevant to their local
area, especially when it involves fires and vehicle incidents, as well as posts featuring the
department's members. The connection our followers feel when they see familiar faces
reinforces their engagement with Vail Fire. The success of our posts on International
Women's Day, the awards dinner, and Tom Talbot's retirement highlights the importance
of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of our team members.
Additionally, the unexpected traction gained from the winter driving tips post on
Facebook demonstrates the power of community sharing and the potential reach it can
have. Job opportunity content consistently performs well, which speaks to the positive
reputation and desirability of working for Vail Fire.
236
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
FireFACEBOOK
311,799
41.7%
Audience Snapshot Men 65.8% Women 34.2%
Top Follower Locations
Vail 3.6% | Denver 2.8% | Eagle 2.8%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
31,039
19.5%
Audience
6,692
10%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
291
57.3%
25-34 35-44 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
45-54 55-64 65+
356 total posts 5%
Breakdown: 339 Posts (includes video, image, text), 11 Reels, 6 Ads.
5
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
1 2 2
9,312 Impressions
Structure Fire - Images
3 4
8,165 Impressions
Lateral Fireghter5
7,989 Impressions
I-70 Motor Vehicle Accident - Images6
7,171 Impressions
International Women’s Day -
7
6,277 Impressions
Motor Vehicle Accident - Images
8
37,564 Impressions
E-Bike Fire - Images
13,063 Impressions
Winter Driving Tips - Graphic
9,312 Impressions
Tom Talbot Retirement - Image
1 2 3
Impressions by Month
237
Top Follower Locations
Vail 7.6% | Edwards 6.2% | Eagle 6.1%
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
FireINSTAGRAM
60,249
7.6%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
3,075
15.6%
Audience
1,857
12.3%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
216
14.3%
Audience Snapshot Men 60.4% Women 39.6%
18-24 25-34 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
35-44 45-54 55-64
124 total posts 63%
Breakdown: 55 images, 5 Reels, 64 Stories.
926 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
“Catch A Craysh” - Image
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
1 2 2
1,331 Impressions
Rosenbauer RTX - Images
3 4
1,328 Impressions
Lateral Fireghter Hiring - Image5
1,322 Impressions
Motor vehicle accident - 6
1,229 Impressions
Motor vehicle accident -
7
1,219 Impressions
International Women’s Day- Images
8
1,472 Impressions
Structure Fire - Images
1,470 Impressions
E-Bike Fire - Images
1,380 Impressions
Awards Banquet - Images
1 2 3
Impressions by Month
238
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Vail Library - Overview by Kari Mohr and
Abigail Brezinka Vail Public Library @vail_public_library
The Vail Public Library started 2023 strong on social and can attribute much of the drop
in impressions to decreased posting due to changes in staffing that began in summer and
continued through late November. The increase in “Received Messages” on Facebook
reflects changing guest behavior as library users increasingly turn to the library’s social
media as a guest service platform for general questions and guidance with their accounts.
The library’s brand lends itself to the most fun and creative content of the Town of Vail’s
departments and has the most regular, in-person contact with guests, which is exemplified
in the fact that social media followers engage so highly with posts featuring library staff.
Last year the library also leaned into short form video which performed particularly well
on Instagram, with Reels accounting for five of the top eight posts. Other popular content
on both channels were events where partners were tagged and shared the post to their
channels, amplifying the message; as well as posts that featured Library themed holidays
and social trends, which also garner likes from the wider library social media community.
The library’s audience has the highest share of women compared to the other
departments, especially in the 25 - 54 age range. This parallels the demographics we see
attending children’s programming and other in-person events. In 2024, library staff looks
forward to maintaining engagement with this audience while also leveraging posts and
events with Police and Fire to potentially reach less represented demographics. We also
observe there may be some correlation between impressions and higher visitation
months when visitors with young children are making use of the library and we offer more
programming.
239
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
Vail Public Library FACEBOOK
92,412
52.3%
Audience Snapshot Men 23.5% Women 76.5%
Top Follower Locations
Vail 11.4% | Avon 8% | Edwards 7.2%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
5,686
52.6%
Audience
1,758
16.4%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
294
18.5%
25-34 35-44 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
45-54 55-64 65+
163 total posts 27%
Impressions by Month
926 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
“Catch A Craysh” - Image
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
1 2 2
992 Impressions
OBOV - Image
3 4
840 Impressions
Storytime with Vail Vet Partners
5
795 Impressions
National Library Workers Day -
6
502 Impressions
Visit Vail Fire Station - Image7
470 Impressions
Penguin Storytime - Image8
1,284 Impressions
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss - Image
1,282 Impressions
Let Freedom Read - Image
1,078 Impressions
Evenings of Engagement -
1 2 3
240
Top Follower Locations
Vail 13.9% | Edwards 10.4% | Avon 9.3%
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
Vail Public LibraryINSTAGRAM
48,132
6.4%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
2,630
13.3%
Audience
1,306
11.1%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
377
9.9%
Audience Snapshot Men 23% Women 77%
65+25-34 Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
35-44 45-54 55-64
238 total posts 0%
Breakdown: 119 images, 16 Reels, 103 Stories.
926 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
“Catch A Craysh” - Image
640 Impressions
Amnesty month - Reel
593 Impressions
Children’s Librarian Probs - Reel
Impressions by Month
1 2 2
592 Impressions
Vail StoryWalk - Reel
3 4
511 Impressions
Santa & the Babies - Reel
5
510 Impressions
Santa & the Babies - Reel
6
502 Impressions
Tesla Ride & Drive Event - Image7
470 Impressions
Penguin Storytime - Image8
241
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Vail Library - Overview by Pete Wadden @restoregorecreek
Engagement with the Restore the Gore Instagram page remains strong. There are many
opportunities to share visually engaging content relating to Gore Creek, stream
restoration, ecology, and fishing- making Instagram an ideal platform for the Restore the
Gore campaign. Video posts seem to draw the most engagement, with wildlife following
close behind. While posts promoting upcoming events don’t draw as much online
engagement, we know we are reaching locals with those posts because they tell us that
they follow our page to learn about upcoming events. The @restoregorecreek Instagram
page remains a great way for folks to connect with Vail’s signature waterway whether
they are in Town or not.
242
Social MediaYEAR IN REVIEW
Impressions
The number of times
our content was
displayed to users.
Restore the GoreINSTAGRAM
32,796
8.1%
Engagements
The number of times
users engaged with
our content (likes,
replies, clicks, shares)
1,988
20.5%
Audience
1,300
8.3%
Received Messages
# of posts, comments
and private messages
your pages received.
86
21.1%
92 total posts 50%
Breakdown: 40 Posts, 52 Stories.
2,194 Impressions
Top Organic Content - by Impressions
Snow dump - Video
1,679 Impressions
Creek conuence - Video
1,144 Impressions
Stormwater Monitoring - Video
Impressions by Month
1,006 Impressions
GoPro Mountain Games - Video
759 Impressions
Signs of Spring - Images
752 Impressions
Bubblegum the sh - Image
751 Impressions
CPW Fish Surveys - Image
746 Impressions
Boreal Toad Bike Path - Image
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
243