Course GSHP

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

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

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
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

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.

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
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)
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

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

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
RETScreen ®
GSHP Energy Calculation
See e-Textbook
Clean Energy Project Analysis:

RETScreen® Engineering and Cases
Ground Source Heat Pump Project Analysis

Chapter

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

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

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Ground-Source Heat Pump

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

Photo Credit: Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

• Review basics of Ground-Source

• Illustrate key considerations for

• Introduce RETScreen® GSHP Project

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

• Multiple units for

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

• Also surface water and standing column heat exchangers

• Ground absorbs about

• Local ground temperatures depend on climate, ground

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

Finland, 150 m 2 House

• Rising energy costs

Connecticut, USA, 275 m 2 House

• Utility subsidy to lower peak air

 Heating and cooling required

• Availability of trenching and drilling

20 kW Groundwater Heat Pump, Germany Drilling Rig for Vertical

 Higher capital costs

 Longer term view

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

• Short payback periods Commercial Building, Croydon, UK

• Land availability may pose

• Less internal space used

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

Building Cluster, Kentucky, USAFilling Station, Kansas, USA

• Reduced peak load

• Auxiliary heating not

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

• Longer paybacks accepted Trenching for Horizontal Exchanger

• More open to innovative

• Simultaneous heating and

School, Quebec, Canada

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

• Currently not covered:

GSHP Energy Calculation

Clean Energy Project Analysis:

Ground Source Heat Pump Project Analysis

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

synthesized bins versus Toronto

monitored data Montreal

• GHX length compared to Charlottetown

6 sizing programs and Winnipeg

1 Year Design 10 Year Design*

Residence 1 Residence 2 Commercial Residence 1 Residence 2 Commercial

Average for other 266 124 141 293 129 148

* 1 Year Design values used for RETScreen comparison

© Minister of Natural Resources Canada 2001 – 2004.

• GSHPs provide heating, cooling & hot water

• RETScreen® is an annual analysis calculation that can achieve

Ground-Source Heat Pumps Project Analysis Module

For further information please visit the RETScreen Website at

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