October 1, 2012

By Greg Ettling

 

PanTerra Energy, an accredited alternative energy solutions provider specializing in geothermal heat pump systems, is the first company of its kind in the country to have received a Public Utilities Commission (PUC) registration. This PUC designation is the first step in allowing PanTerra to apply for a permit to act as a sole utility, leasing and selling direct access to a geothermal loop field without additional third-party involvement. PanTerra designs, builds and installs what many believe to be the next wave in eco-friendly and cost-effective improvements for homes, businesses and municipalities.

“From the outset, we sought to differentiate ourselves from other geothermal heating and cooling suppliers,” says co-founder Mike Ryan. “Acquiring the PUC license is the initial proof-point, as we’re able to make geothermal technology available to a wider audience at a lower cost.”

“More than any single factor, the added costs of the loop field are suppressing the widespread adoption of geothermal heat pump systems (GHPs),” says Ben Northcutt, executive director of the Colorado Geo Energy & Heat Pump Association. “If you view the loop field as an infrastructure component of a heating and cooling system, it makes a lot of sense to treat it as a thermal utility, which is the concept that PanTerra is pioneering. If you can provide users with a straightforward monthly cost for their heating and cooling, without the added financial burden of buying the loop field infrastructure, then GHPs can quickly become a mainstream technology.”

PanTerra’s founders have also met with local legislators who are equally excited about their prospects and the creation of additional green jobs.

Source: National Driller

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