District geothermal systems have been proposed as one way to decarbonize clusters of buildings by using heat pumps, and a major opportunity in supporting widespread strategic electrification. The most cost-effective sizing of any geothermal system involves balanced heating and cooling loads, but this is seldom able to be achieved. It many cases a hybrid approach can be an effective means of employing the advantages of ground source systems at a fraction of the cost. Here we will cover some of the available options of hybrid approaches and their advantages/ disadvantages from recent feasibility studies.
Brendan Hall, Senior Engineer,
Mitch DeWein, Project Manager, CHA Consulting, Inc.