Ground-Source Heat Pump

Project Analysis
Clean Energy Project Analysis Course

Philadelphia Enterprise Centre, USA – 28 GSHPs for Heating and Cooling

Photo Credit: Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium

(NREL PIX)

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Objectives

• Review basics of Ground-Source

Heat Pump (GSHP) systems

• Illustrate key considerations for

GSHP project analysis

• Introduce RETScreen® GSHP Project

Model

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

What do GSHP systems
provide?
Impact 2000 Home, Massachusetts, USA
• Heating
• Cooling

• Hot water
Photo Credit: Solar Design Associates (NREL
PIX)

• Sound permafrost
foundations
Residential Heat Pump
…but also…
 Stable capacity
 Efficiency  Comfort & air quality
 Decreased maintenance  Reduced peak electrical
 Decreased space needs loads for air conditioning
 Low operating costs © Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
Components of GSHP Systems

1. Earth connection
 Ground-coupled
 Groundwater
 Surface water 3
2. Liquid-source heat 2
pump

3. Interior heating/
cooling distribution
subsystem 1
 Conventional ductwork

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Liquid-Source Heat Pump

• Water-to-air heat
pump

• Reverses
direction

• 3.5 to 35 kW of
cooling per unit

• Multiple units for

big buildings
• Excess heat following compression provides hot
water via desuperheater
© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
Types of Earth Connection

Vertical (GCHP) Horizontal (GCHP)Groundwater (GWHP)

 Rocky ground  Most land used  Aquifer+Injection
 More expensive  Less expensive  Least expensive
 Little land used  Small buildings  Regulations
 High efficiency  Temp. varies  Fouling

• Also surface water and standing column heat exchangers

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
GSHP Resource:
Ground Temperatures

• Ground absorbs about

half of sun’s incident
energy

• Ground dampens
temperature variation
 GSHP more efficient

• Temperature variation
decreases with depth
 Negligible below 15 m Graphic: Canadian Building
Digest

• Local ground temperatures depend on climate, ground

& snow cover, slope, soil properties, etc.

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Examples of GSHP System
Costs

Finland, 150 m 2 House

Initial Annual Annual
Costs Heating Energy
Electric $8,000 $800 20 MWh
GSHP $13,000 $350 6.5 MWh

• Rising energy costs

• Environmental concerns
• Air conditioning is bonus
Photo Credit: Suomen Lämpöpumpputekniikka Oy

Connecticut, USA, 275 m 2 House

Initial Annual Annual Annual Annual
Costs Heating Cooling Total Energy
Oil/AC $16,000 $600 $900 $1,500 27 MWh
GSHP $20,500 $450 $600 $1,050 11 MWh

• Utility subsidy to lower peak air

conditioning loads
Photo Credit: GeoExchange Consortium
© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
Ground-Source Heat Pump
Project
Considerations
Heat Exchanger Layout,
• Most cost-effective when: Commercial Building

 Heating and cooling required

 Large seasonal variations in temperature
 New construction or HVAC replacement
 For heating: low electricity costs and high
gas & oil costs
GSHP Installation
 For cooling: high electricity costs and peak
load charges

• Availability of trenching and drilling

equipment
• Uncertainty about cost of exchanger
installation
• Customer’s criteria for cost-effective
Photo Credit: Craig Miller Productions and DOE
(NREL PIX)
© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
Examples: Australia, Germany and Switzerland
Residential Building Systems

20 kW Groundwater Heat Pump, Germany Drilling Rig for Vertical

• High-end homes Boreholes, Swiss Residence

 Higher capital costs

 Longer term view

of cost-effective
Photo Credit: Bundesverband WärmePumpe (BWP) e.V.
 Environmental or 320 Apartments, South Australia
comfort benefits

• Utility incentive
can be a
significant factor
Photo Credit: GeoExchange Consortium Photo Credit: Eberhard & Partner AG

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Examples: UK and USA
Commercial Building Systems

• Short payback periods Commercial Building, Croydon, UK

often required (< 5 yrs)

• Land availability may pose

problems

• Less internal space used

• Simple, distributed controls Photo Credit: Groenholland B.V.

Building Cluster, Kentucky, USAFilling Station, Kansas, USA

• Reduced vandalism risk

• Reduced peak load

charges

• Auxiliary heating not

needed Photo Credit: Marion Pinckley (NREL PIX) Photo Credit: International Ground Source Heat
Pump Association

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Examples: Canada and USA
Institutional Building Systems

• Longer paybacks accepted Trenching for Horizontal Exchanger

• More open to innovative

systems

• Simultaneous heating and

cooling loads Photo Credit: Robert R. Jones/Oklahoma
State University (NREL PIX)

School, Quebec, Canada

Photo Credit: Natural Resources Canada © Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
RETScreen® Ground-Source Heat
Pump Project Model

• World-wide analysis of energy production, life-cycle

costs and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
 Horizontal & vertical closed-loop
 Groundwater open-loop
 Residential, commercial,
institutional & industrial

• Currently not covered:

 Surface water GSHPs
 Long-term thermal imbalances in the
ground
 Simultaneous heating & cooling
(block loads only)
 Water heating
© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
RETScreen ®

GSHP Energy Calculation

See e-Textbook

Clean Energy Project Analysis:

RETScreen® Engineering and Cases

Ground Source Heat Pump Project Analysis

Chapter

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Example Validation of the
RETScreen® GSHP Project
Model
• Energy use compared for
Heating Energy use
Difference %
kWh

synthesized bins versus Toronto

RETScreen
Monitored
37,202
36,686
1.4

monitored data Montreal

RETScreen 36,138
1.8
Monitored 35,490

• GHX length compared to Charlottetown

RETScreen
Monitored
37,158
36,922
0.6

6 sizing programs and Winnipeg

RETScreen 33,243
1.0
Monitored 32,926
detailed simulation program Vancouver
RETScreen 37,888
-3.0
Monitored 39,016

1 Year Design 10 Year Design*

Residence 1 Residence 2 Commercial Residence 1 Residence 2 Commercial

Program Louisiana Wisconsin Nebraska Louisiana Wisconsin Nebraska

Average for other 266 124 141 293 129 148

software

vs. RETScreen 257 -4% 135 9% 121 -14% 257 -12% 135 5% 121 -18%
Descriptive

vs. RETScreen 236 -11% 127 2% 132 -6% 236 -19% 127 -2% 132 -12%
Energy Use

vs. Actual 344 29% 160 29% 141 0% 344 17% 160 24% 141 -5%

* 1 Year Design values used for RETScreen comparison

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Conclusions

• GSHPs provide heating, cooling & hot water

• Ground dampens temp. variations & leads to high GSHP
efficiencies
• GSHP initial costs are higher, but O&M costs are lower
 Climates requiring heating and cooling are most promising

• RETScreen® estimates:
 Frequency distribution of outside temperature
 Building loads as a function of outside temperature
 Annual space heating and cooling energy benefits

• RETScreen® is an annual analysis calculation that can achieve

accuracy comparable to hourly simulation models
• RETScreen® can provide significant preliminary feasibility
study cost savings © Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.
Questions?

Ground-Source Heat Pumps Project Analysis Module

RETScreen® International Clean Energy Project Analysis Course

For further information please visit the RETScreen Website at

www.retscreen.net
© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.