Geothermal heating and cooling system planned for Troy, NY
15th Street - Troy, New York (source: Doug Kerr / flick, Creative Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
1 Jun 2022
The city of Troy in NY is seeking state approval for a project that will use geothermal energy for heating and cooling of private buildings and a public plaza.
The city of Troy is seeking approval from the New York state for a planned geothermal heating and cooling system for downtown businesses and residences. The project is estimated to cost USD 12 million and will involve drilling of up to 200 geothermal wells in Riverfront Park.
Execution of the project is planned in two phases. The first phase will provide heating and cooling services to businesses and apartments in the downtown area around Monument Square, while the second phase will extend the loop to the Russell Safe College Campus and the Troy Housing Authority’s apartments.
Construction of the geothermal loop is planned to start by late spring or early summer of 2023 with the Troy Local Development Corp. (LDC), Siemens, and CHA on hand.
The city has USD 4.1 million available in state funds to carry out the first phase of the project, while USD 500,000 will be set aside to do a study of the second phase. Additional funding will be needed to complete the estimated USD 12 million cost of the two phases of the project.
Aside from supplying heating and cooling in private buildings and residences, the geothermal loop will also provide snowmelt for public areas such as the Monument Square, according to City Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development Steven Strichman. This synergizes with the city’s plans to develop the public plaza.
“As the system grows, the system will quickly become a sustaining revenue generator for the city/LDC and a tremendous asset/recruitment tool for investors and employers in search of locations where they can comply with mandated emission reduction targets,” added Strichman.
Source: Times Union
