Dandelion Energy Urges New York Senate to Pass New Geothermal Legislation to Update Regulations and Save Homeowners Money on Heating and Cooling

Pending legislation will remove outdated regulations and lead to lower costs for geothermal heat pump installations for New York residents.

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y., May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dandelion Energy, the nation's leading home geothermal company, urges the New York Senate to pass S6604 as soon as possible, following the bipartisan approval in the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation earlier this week and passage of companion legislation A6949 by the full New York Assembly last week.

The legislation, spearheaded by New York State Senator Peter Harckham (D-40) and Assemblymember Deborah Glick (D-66), removes outdated regulatory requirements, which unnecessarily place geothermal boreholes under regulations designed for oil and gas drilling. These existing regulations are unnecessary, as closed-loop geothermal boreholes do not involve injection into or extraction from the ground and thus do not adversely impact the environment.

Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Glick, as chairs of their respective Environmental Conservation Committees in the Senate and the Assembly, are once again demonstrating their commitment to renewable energy deployment and climate stewardship by advancing this legislation to accelerate the deployment of emissions-free geothermal heat pumps.

"We greatly appreciate the leadership of Senator Harckham, Assemblymember Glick, and other members of the Senate and the Assembly who are working together to push this common sense legislation forward," said Michael Sachse, CEO of Dandelion Energy "This will save New Yorkers money and accelerate the deployment of geothermal heat pumps, creating new jobs for drillers and heat pump installers. I sincerely hope that the Senate will pass this legislation quickly. New York has been a leader in climate action, but in this one regard, it has lagged behind neighboring states, which already allow deeper geothermal without restrictive regulations."

Geothermal heat pumps are already among the lowest-cost heating and cooling systems for New York homes and businesses, and the updated regulations could further reduce upfront costs and make geothermal systems more accessible for all New York residents.

Drilling deeper than 500 feet can reduce the number of boreholes required for most homes, allowing homes with small yards or driveways to access the cost savings of geothermal heat pumps. The legislation is consistent with recommendations from the New York Climate Action Council's final Scoping Plan, which recommended that New York develop "appropriate regulations" for geothermal boreholes deeper than 500 feet to "relieve some of the economic and time burden while still protecting the environment."

By removing geothermal boreholes from regulations designed for oil and gas wells, the legislation makes it possible for geothermal installers to drill fewer boreholes, saving time and money during the installation process. The legislation will also improve the consistency of geothermal installations and safety precautions by consolidating all geothermal regulations under the Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water, which currently regulates geothermal boreholes less than 500 feet deep.

About Dandelion Energy

As the nation's leading home geothermal company, Dandelion Energy helps homeowners free their homes from fossil fuels. By making geothermal heating and cooling systems accessible and affordable for homeowners, Dandelion is mitigating climate change with renewable technologies that decarbonize homes. Today, Dandelion's heating and cooling solutions allow homeowners to save up to 50 percent on their heating and cooling bills and help the environment by reducing homes' carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80 percent.

With millions of New York residents reliant on increasingly expensive and dirty heating oils, propane, or natural gas, Dandelion continues to look for opportunities to offer geothermal heating and cooling to additional customers, and has improved its operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and service boundaries to help more people go green at home. Dandelion's impact on the environment to date has been significant:

• As of May 2023, Dandelion systems have reduced carbon emissions by 36,400 tons — the equivalent of 1,150 cars being taken off the road.
• By 2050, these installed Dandelion systems will reduce carbon emissions by 644,000 tons, which is like removing 20,350 cars from the road.

The state-of-the-art geothermal heat pump system offers wifi-enabled monitoring, creating a smarter, more responsive, and more innovative approach than any other HVAC system on the market. To learn more, visit www.dandelionenergy.com.

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SOURCE Dandelion Energy