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ECONAR® Programs and Incentives
| New ENERGY STAR® Guidelines | 30% Tax Credit for Geothermal | ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps |
New ENERGY STAR® Guidelines Add Hydronic Geothermal Heat Pumps
ECONAR is pleased to announce that as the new ENERGY STAR guidelines are being finalized for geothermal heat pumps, it is very clear that ECONAR is well positioned to be qualified for the 30% Residential Energy Tax Credit now and far into the future.
As a member of AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute), ECONAR has been heavily involved in the development of the new ENERGY STAR specification. AHRI is working with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the agency that administers the ENERGY STAR program, to establish the timetable and the performance specifications for geothermal heat pumps.
On September 17th a draft proposal was released by the EPA that establishes new proposed ENERGY STAR guidelines for geothermal heat pumps. The EPA will be accepting comments on the draft proposal until October 9, 2009. These new guidelines will be implemented over the next 2 ¼ years.
An important change to ENERGY STAR is the addition of water-to-water (hydronic) geothermal heat pumps. ECONAR has an excellent hydronic product line and with the proposed ENERGY STAR guidelines as an industry benchmark, it is evident that ECONAR hydronic heat pumps are superior when compared with other manufacturers. This further supports why ECONAR is the industry leader in hydronic geothermal heat pumps, possessing the largest market share.
Shown below is the new proposed ENERGY STAR guidelines, the effective dates and the ECONAR heat pumps that qualify for the ENERGY STAR rating.
Proposed efficiencies as of December 1, 2009 will include water-to-water along with water-to-air.
The desuperheater option is no longer required.
| COP | EER | |
| Water-to-Air Closed Loop | 3.3 | 14.1 |
| Water-to-Air Open Loop | 3.6 | 16.2 |
| Water-to-Water Closed Loop | 3.0 | 15.1 |
| Water-to-Water Open Loop | 3.4 | 19.1 |
Proposed efficiencies as of January 1, 2011 remain unchanged for the water-to-water units and increase for the water-to-air units to the following levels.
| COP | EER | |
| Water-to-Air Closed Loop | 3.5 | 16.1 |
| Water-to-Air Open Loop | 3.8 | 18.2 |
| Water-to-Water Closed Loop | 3.0 | 15.1 |
| Water-to-Water Open Loop | 3.4 | 19.1 |
Proposed efficiencies as of January 1, 2012 increase for all geothermal heat pumps to the following levels.
| COP | EER | |
| Water-to-Air Closed Loop | 3.6 | 17.1 |
| Water-to-Air Open Loop | 4.1 | 21.1 |
| Water-to-Water Closed Loop | 3.1 | 16.1 |
| Water-to-Water Open Loop | 3.5 | 20.1 |
ECONAR Heat Pumps Qualifying for ENERGY STAR Rating
Based on the proposed efficiencies as of December 1, 2009.
(Note: the desuperheater requirement is removed)
| CLOSED LOOP | OPEN LOOP |
| All Vara 2 Plus | All Vara 2 Plus |
| All Ultra Forced Air* | All Ultra Forced Air* |
| All Ultra Hydronic | All Ultra Hydronic |
| Invision3 Q14 and Q16 | |
| (* Not including the GH770) | |
Future ENERGY STAR ECONAR Heat Pumps
As a twenty-plus year industry leader in geothermal design and efficiency, ECONAR will continue to develop new geothermal heat pumps that will meet and exceed the increasing ENERGY STAR performance standards over the next several years.
ECONAR will always have a complete line of geothermal heat pumps that will qualify for the ENERGY STAR performance standard and fulfill the needs of its customers.
There are many great reasons to install an ECONAR geothermal heat pump system and the list keeps growing. The federal government has passed a couple of very important pieces of legislation within the last couple of years. The intent of the legislation is to encourage the use of efficient, environmentally friendly energy sources—geothermal included. The encouragement (and benefit to home and business owners) comes in the form of substantial tax credits.
The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424) offers a tax credit of 30% to homeowners who install a geothermal (ground source heat pump) system on their property. The property must be residential property within the United States, but does not need to be the primary residence. Please note that the tax credit excludes geothermal systems used solely for swimming pools and/or hot tubs. The 30% tax credit counts toward the heat pump, ground loop and related equipment. Labor costs for excavating and installing the loopfield, installing the heat pump, and any other plumbing, wiring and/or ducting needed to make the system work are also included. The system must meet or exceed current ENERGY STAR requirements, and be placed into service after December 31, 2007. H.R. 1424 caps the credit at $2,000.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 sweetens the deal for geothermal. Everything basically stays the same, except that the $2,000 cap to the tax credit has been eliminated. Now you can install a GeoSystem and take full advantage of the 30% tax credit! This legislation is good for installations placed into service from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2016.
Please consult your local GeoRep and tax professional for more details about these exciting tax incentives.
More information on the
Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
More information on the
Corporate Renewable Energy Tax Credit
ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps
Check our list of ENERGY STAR certified heat pumps here.
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