The Environment Agency is calling on the government to offer more financial incentives to home owners and businesses to take up this low carbon, energy efficient form of heating and cooling through the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive.

In the report it is also predicting that, with the right financial support, GSHP systems, which tap into the natural warmth stored underground could, by 2020, provide nearly 1/3 of the UK’s renewable heat.

Patrick Sherriff, sales and marketing director of Geothermal International, an installer of GSHP systems, said, “We have always believed that GSHP systems can make a huge contribution to the UK’s campaign to combat climate change by cutting carbon emissions.

It is heartening that the Environment Agency is now so convinced that GSHP systems have a major role to play in fighting global warming that it is urging the government to offer more financial support.

We are finding that more and more organisations are realising they can reduce building running costs while helping to save the planet by installing GSHP systems to heat and cool their premises.

The figure of one million systems being installed by 2020 is far from pie in the sky – GSHP systems are truly a heating and cooling solution for the 21st Century.”

You are invited to attend a Free Geothermal Energy Workshop Thursday January 21st, 2010 at 6:30 pm.

New Location: American EcoThermal Inc. 8 Merrill Industrial Drive, Suite 7, Hampton NH 03842

Come and see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool your home

Topics of discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal
• tax incentives and rebates
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How american EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help you save money

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s geothermal workshop please call (603)-601-6926 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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Portsmouth — When you think of geothermal heating systems, what words immediately come to mind? Big? Complicated? Expensive? Iceland? Whatever the association, the fact is that most people don’t recognize geothermal as a legitimate energy option here in traditionally oil-dependent New England; or that you don’t need an underground source of water to install a geothermal system.
But despite the availability of tax rebates and incentives at both the state and federal levels – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides a tax credit of up to 30%, while PSNH is offering up to $7500 towards project costs for any number of alternative energy systems – the uncertain economy and other factors have thus far kept most people from taking the geothermal plunge.
However, some local companies are coming up with creative ways to help make their systems even more affordable. American EcoThermal (AET), a growing Portsmouth-based turnkey geothermal heating and cooling provider, for example, now offers long-term financing for its residential units.
Financing might make sense in the context of purchasing a home or a new car – in fact more often than not it is the default option. But financing a home-heating system? While it sounds strange, it really works in much the same way. Typically geothermal systems have to be paid for in full up-front – clearly a major commitment, even given the “payback” period of around 5 years. As an alternative, AET will set a maximum monthly price of $100 per month for any residential system up to six tons in capacity (a house of approximately 3,500 square feet would typically require six tons of heating capacity).
To qualify, the system has to be contracted before October 31st of this year.
In devising the financing option, Shawn Bristow, co-founder of AET, felt his company could lend some semblance of security to the typically volatile nature of home-heating costs.
“A typical New England home of 2,500 square feet costs $25 per day to heat with regular oil during the winter” says Bristow. “By offering our EcoTherm program, we feel confident that New England homeowners can begin the journey toward energy independence.”
Under AET’s EcoTherm program, which was developed earlier this summer, AET owns the exterior portion of the installed geothermal system, also known as Ground Source Heat Exchange. AET then receives monthly payments from the client during a 10 year contract period. At the end of the contract period the client has the option to purchase the exterior portion for a price determined at the beginning of the contract, or they can simply renew the contract. For Bristow and his colleagues at AET, this flexibility inevitably fosters a feeling of certainty within the customer, something rare in our oil-driven age.
“In these difficult economic times, the last thing people need is uncertainty related to their home heating bills”, Bristow explains. “We need to increase our energy independence and geothermal heating and cooling is the safest, cleanest and most cost-effective way to do that,” he added.
Nancy Mangiafico, AET’s Controller, echoes this sentiment: “The program is going to help people who like to know what they’re going to pay – people who saw oil go from three dollars a gallon to five and back again,” says Mangiafico, who, along with her husband Scott, recently financed their own geothermal system through AET’s program. “The reality is that people have to budget, so a program like this gives people that flexibility of knowing – it becomes a solid number they can put in their budget.”
All the possible incentives sound great individually, but AET is quick to point out that you can actually receive all three – the federal tax credit, the state rebate, as well as AET’s financing plan – for the same project. While the state and federal tax incentives cover the interior portion of the system, EcoTherm helps cover the exterior portion of the project, or the drilling and installation of the Heat Exchange.
So far reception to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. But what has surprised Mangiafico in particular is how interest seems to have defied generational appeal. “We’re already getting lots of calls about the program,” she says. “But what has blown me away is the number of people over 60 and 70 – we even had someone who was 85! – who are doing it not just because they’re on a fixed income [through Social Security], but because they feel it’s really the right thing to do.”
Not only that, but we here in New England would be replacing our current disproportionate dependence on foreign oil with something cleaner, cheaper, and local. “Most people don’t realize that New Englanders use more oil to heat their homes than the rest of the country does in driving,” Mangiafico explains. “Think of how big of a burden we’d be eliminating if people were able to tap into the energy that’s right there below them.”

August 12, 2009 – Portsmouth, NH: American EcoThermal Inc., (AET) a leading turn-key provider of Geothermal Heating and Cooling systems for both Commercial and Residential customers across New England, is pleased to announce the availability of their Patented Geothermal Service Provider program called EcoTherm®. This program is designed to address the major hurdle associated with the additional capital cost of installing a geothermal heating and cooling system; the exterior portion or ground loops. Under the EcoTherm® program, AET owns the exterior portion of the geothermal system, also known as Ground Source Heat Exchange, with AET receiving monthly payments from the client during a 10 year contract period. These payments have a fixed price which is locked in for the length of the contract. At the end of the contract period the client may purchase the exterior portion for a price determined at the beginning of the contract or renew the contract for an additional period at the then prevailing fixed price. For example, a customer signing a 10 year residential contract today would be locking in the equivalent of heating oil at $2.05 versus a current “local” price of approximately $2.50 per gallon, a savings of 15%. Our service provider program is an innovative way of making geothermal heating and cooling affordable to everyone.

While the Ground Source Heat Exchange technology has been around for nearly 100 years in this country, it has really begun to explode over the last 4 years notes Andy Livingston, AET’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Livingston, a 27-year veteran of the Clean Energy industry went on to say, “One need only look to Western Europe, where Ground Source Heat Exchange provides upwards of 80% of all the heating and cooling for homes, businesses and municipal buildings in countries like Sweden and Switzerland”. “These countries have had to deal with high energy prices for years and they have found geothermal to be the solution”. Chris Battis, Senior Residential Sales Associate for AET adds, “we’ve had a tremendous response from customer’s about this program”. “The program looks very much like a mobile phone contract – it’s something people can easily relate to”.

A 2008 Department of Energy study done by Oak Ridge National Laboratory cited Ground Source Heat Exchange as proven technology for producing large reductions in energy use and peak demand. The report also cited the main hurdle for aggressive deployment of this technology as the added cost of the outside ground loop infrastructure. We at American EcoThermal believe we have addressed this issue with our EcoTherm® program. “In these difficult economic times, the last thing people need is uncertainty related to their home heating bills”, Shawn Bristow, co-founder of AET noted. “We need to increase our energy independence and geothermal heating and cooling is the safest, cleanest and most cost-effective way to do that”, he added.

In an effort to introduce our EcoTherm® program and protect our neighbors from volatile fossil fuel markets this winter, AET has set a maximum monthly price of $100 per month for any residential system up to six tons in capacity (a house of approximately 3,500 square feet would typically require six tons of heating capacity) that is contracted by October 31, 2009. “A typical New England home of 2,500 square feet costs $25 per day to heat during the winter” according to Bristow. “By offering our EcoTherm program, we feel confident that New England homeowners can begin the journey toward energy independence”. AET is offering a similar program to commercial customers as well as municipal and non-profits. Please contact John Frodyma, Peter Alabiso or Phil Koch, Directors of Commercial Development for more information.

August 12, 2009 – Portsmouth, NH: American EcoThermal Inc., (AET) is a leading turnkey provider of Geothermal Heating and Cooling systems for both residential and commercial buildings throughout New England. They specialize in the design, drilling and installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems. AET was founded by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andy Livingston, a 27 year veteran of the renewable energy industry.

Peter Alabiso Jr. (palabiso@americanecothermal.com) has joined AET as a Director of Commercial Development covering the Merrimac Valley, Western MA, Western NH and VT. Alabiso has 21 years of experience in advanced technology sales. Prior to joining American EcoThermal Inc. he served as the Regional Business Manager for Edwards Vacuum, an $800MM supplier of sub-components to the semiconductor wafer manufacturing industry.

John Frodyma (jfrodyma@americanecothermal.com) has joined AET as a Director of Commercial Development covering Southern NH, Essex County MA and Maine. Frodyma spent 16 years in the financial industry before focusing his sales expertise on alternative energy. Frodyma previously worked as the Alternative Energy/Clean Tech Practice Manager for MRI/ Appledore Associates.

Phillip T. Koch (pkoch@americanecothermal.com) has joined AET as a Director of Commercial Development covering Rhode Island, Greater Boston, and Connecticut. Koch holds an MS in Engineering and Environmental Systems from Harvard University. Koch brings over 30 years of experience in environmental consulting to the team. Koch’s recent focus has been on the alternative energy sector and LEED certification.

Alabiso, Frodyma and Koch provide commercial developers the opportunity to incorporate renewable geothermal energy into their building plans. They are located in the American EcoThermal corporate offices at 233 Vaughan Street in Portsmouth, NH as well as by appointment on site locations. For more information go to www.americanecothermal.com or dial (603) 319-1802.

You are invited to attend a Free Geothermal Energy Workshop Thursday August 20th, 2009 at 7:15 pm.

Location: American EcoThermal Inc. 233 vaughan Street, Portsmouth NH 03801

Come and see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool your home

Topics of discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal
• tax incentives and rebates
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How american EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help you save money

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s homeowner workshop please call (603)-319-1802 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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You are invited to attend a Free Geothermal Energy Workshop Thursday September 17th, 2009 at 7:15 pm.

Location: American EcoThermal Inc. 233 vaughan Street, Portsmouth NH 03801

Come and see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool your home

Topics of discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal
• tax incentives and rebates
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How american EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help you save money

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s homeowner workshop please call (603)-319-1802 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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Location: American EcoThermal, Inc. 233 Vaughan Street Portsmouth, NH 03801

Come see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool homes and businesses.

Topics of Discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal energy exchange
• Tax incentives and rebates for geothermal systems
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How American EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help your business grow…green
• How to explain geothermal heating and cooling to you customers

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s building community workshop please call (603)-319-1802 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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Location: American EcoThermal, Inc. 233 Vaughan Street Portsmouth, NH 03801

Come see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool homes and businesses.

Topics of Discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal energy exchange
• Tax incentives and rebates for geothermal systems
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How American EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help your business grow…green
• How to explain geothermal heating and cooling to you customers

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s building community workshop please call (603)-319-1802 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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You are invited to attend a Free Geothermal Energy Workshop Thursday July 23rd, 2009  at 7:15 pm. 

Location: American EcoThermal Inc. 233 vaughan Street, Portsmouth NH 03801

Come and see and feel how geothermal energy can be used to heat and cool your home

Topics of discussion:

• What is geothermal energy?
• How does geothermal energy work?
• The benefits of geothermal
• tax incentives and rebates
• Who is American EcoThermal
• How american EcoThermal is making geothermal affordable
• How American EcoThermal can help you save money 

RSVP: If you are interested in attending American EcoThermal’s homeowner workshop please call (603)-319-1802 ex.21 or fill out the form below to save your seat!

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