Tag: GSHP

States & Provinces Are Adopting IGSHPA Training!

IGSHPA continues to work with U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and federal governments to ensure that GSHPs are being designed and installed for long-term success.

As the Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pump industry is on a path to unprecedented growth, it is important that governments and utilities (especially those that are providing incentives) have a benchmark for success. How can they protect their investments and reputation, while encouraging adoption of the technology, which provides so many benefits to consumers, developers, the electric grid, and society as a whole? IGSHPA’s partnership with CSA Group for accredited training and certification programs and additional courses that create “building blocks” for success, provide solutions!

IGSHPA has 23 courses available in online, self-paced formats and through instructor-led (in-person or virtual) instruction. States and provinces, and even federal governments are including IGSHPA courses as part of their programs. This blog will highlight the most recent implementations and will be updated as new programs develop.

Colorado

The state of Colorado’s CEO (Colorado Energy Office) program for heat pump training has a new training toolkit that recognizes IGSHPA training for design and installation of GSHPs and recommends that training should be aligned with the most recent edition of the CSA/ANSI/IGSHPA C448:25 Design and Installation Standard.

New Jersey

The state of New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program provides a Workforce Development Reimbursement of up to $2,000 per person per course, up to $4,000. The following IGSHPA courses and certifications are eligible for reimbursement:

  • IGSHPA Residential Self-Paced Online Training (up to) 7 Core Modules
  • IGSHPA Residential System Design Workshop
  • IGSHPA Residential Self-Paced Online Training (up to) 2 Further Learning Modules
  • IGSHPA Commercial Self-Paced Online Training (up to) 7 Core Modules
  • IGSHPA Commercial Systems Design Workshop
  • IGSHPA Commercial Self-Paced Online Training (up to) 3 Further Learning Modules

New Mexico

The state of New Mexico’s Geothermal Ground Coupled Heat Pump Tax Credit program of up to 30% of the installation costs (up to $9,000) through 2034 requires IGSHPA certification for installers of the systems. See the following links for details of the program:

New York

The state of New York’s Clean Heat program offers significant incentives based upon each utility’s program. For example, National Grid offers up to $20,000 for single family GSHP retrofit installations and up to $14,000 for new construction (even more for disadvantaged communities). Other New York utilities have similar incentives. The program requires IGSHPA certification and is designed up be updated for the new IGSHPA curriculum (footnote on page 28 states, “56If IGSHPA adjusts its installer certifications, the NYS Clean Heat Program will adjust appropriately”).

Ontario

The province of Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings program provides up to $12,000 for GSHPs. Participating HVAC contractors must be IGSHPA certified.

U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.)

IGSHPA’s GRIT (GSHP Residential Installation Technician), GRST (GSHP Residential Service Technician), and Geo 101 courses have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy as important new content and best practices in the Energy Skilled™ HVAC Program. Energy Skilled™ is a workforce development program that recognizes certification, licensure, training, and degree programs that teach the skills needed to succeed in today’s building sector jobs. The Department of Energy recognition shines a light on training programs, certifications, and other credentials that are helping to prepare a competitive American workforce and reduce energy costs to consumers.

For more information on IGSHPA’s training programs, check out the training and certification page or contact us.

2026 Research Conference Proceedings

The proceedings from the 2026 Research conference are now online!

The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association’s 5th IGSHPA Research Conference was held as a track at the 15th IEA Heat Pump Conference, May 26-29, 2026, in Vienna, Austria. There were 27 papers presented during the conference with research topics from all over the world covering GHX optimization to thermal energy storage to experimental R744 (CO2) systems. View the proceedings here.

Free Geo 101 Online Course

A new Geo 101 (free!) online course is available on IGSHPA’s LMS (Learning Management System)!

Ground source (geothermal) heat pumps are not new. However, many are not aware of the technology, simply because this technology is a relatively small percentage of the heating and cooling industry. That is about to change! As concerns about the electric grid and energy security are becoming important topics, especially as data centers are expanding, GSHPs (Ground Source Heat Pumps) are the solution in many ways!

IGSHPA’s Geo 101 self-paced, one hour, free, online course provides a comprehensive overview of GSHPs, covering everything you need to know about:

  • How GSHP technology works
  • Geothermal Energy vs. Geothermal Heating and Cooling / terminology
  • Residential/commercial applications and system design options
  • Real-world performance data
  • Available U.S. federal tax incentives
  • Emerging trend of Thermal Energy Networks
  • Key industry challenges
  • And more …

Whether you’re a homeowner exploring clean energy upgrades, a building professional looking to expand your expertise, or a utility seeking peak demand solutions — this is your starting point.

Discover how ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are transforming heating and cooling — delivering over 400% efficiency, slashing energy costs, and tapping into the renewable thermal energy right under your property.

📘 What you’ll learn:

  • How GSHPs use the earth’s constant temperature for ultra-efficient climate control
  • Equipment options from packaged units to hydronic systems
  • Incentives that make the switch more affordable than ever
  • Industry standards, training pathways, and certification opportunities through IGSHPA

👉 Review this FREE course now and take the first step toward smarter, greener energy.

NOTES:

  1. This self-paced video training module qualifies as a prerequisite by the PNNL/DOL for the Energy Skills training requirements for the IGSHPA GRIT (GSHP Residential Installation Technician) and GRST (GSHP Residential Service Technician) courses. A quiz must be passed to demonstrate that the course has been successfully completed.
  2. The quiz is not required for any other attendee, but may be taken to provide a certificate of successful completion if desired. 

2026 Annual Conference Proceedings

The 2026 IGSHPA Annual Conference was a great success! Conference proceedings are now available.

The 2026 IGSHPA Annual Conference, held April 13-15, 2026, at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri included 10 tracks and over 55 speakers and panelists! Based upon conversations and surveys, the conference was a great success and fostered learning, networking, industry promotion, and just a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues. Thank you for attending the conference and for your support of IGSHPA!

PDFs of the speaker presentations are now available under the “Conference” menu or at https://igshpa.org/2026-conference-proceedings/.

April is International Geothermal Month!

We are thrilled to announce that April is International Geothermal Month — a time to celebrate the incredible work and advancements in the Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pump industry!

As a valued member of IGSHPA, we invite you to join the movement by cross-promoting with us throughout April. We’ll be highlighting stories from IGSHPA members about their projects, how they entered the GSHP industry, and the value they’ve gained from IGSHPA training and membership.

We’ve Made It Easy!

Our Marketing Team has created a complete content calendar for the month, including ready-to-use images and posts you can easily grab and share daily. This will make it simple to stay engaged and help amplify the reach of International Geothermal Month.  Go here to access the content: https://igshpa.org/international-geothermal-month/  If you have any questions, our team is available to help.

You can also get involved by:

  • Sharing Your Stories – Post about your GSHP projects and experiences on social media
  • Engage with Our Posts – Like, share, and comment on IGSHPA’s social media content throughout the month.
  • Spread the Word – Encourage your network to celebrate and recognize the impact of the geothermal industry.

Our goal is to make International Geothermal Month a recognized annual event on the global calendar — and we can’t do it without you!

Thank you for being a part of the IGSHPA community. We can’t wait to see your posts and celebrate together!

District Energy (TENs)

Graphics provided by Salas-O'Brien as part of a presentation at the 2025 IGSHPA annual conference.

IGSHPA just added a new resource to the website on District Energy Systems (also called Thermal Energy Networks or TENs).

There is a lot of discussion about district systems in the industry right now, and many times there seems to be a lack of resources for those interested in the technology. As a pioneer in the Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pump industry, IGSHPA is always leading the way in providing members and stakeholders with the most up to date resources, training, and standards. At the beginning of 2026, an all-new training and certification program was launched, which includes many of the “building blocks” for system design and installation. Based upon the CSA/ANSI/IGSHPA C448:25 standard, which includes a new section on District Energy Systems, the training includes 22 modules, both online, in person, and virtual.

District Energy Systems, also known as Thermal Energy Networks or TENs, have the ability to connect multiple buildings for the purpose of moving heat to or from other buildings and to or from heat sources/sinks like ground heat exchangers. Ground source (geothermal) heat pumps and other mechanical systems are typically connected to these systems to take advantage of the load diversity of such systems (e.g. one building or zone is in cooling while another building or zone is in heating, simply moving heat from one area to another). Therefore, mixed use developments, higher education campuses, healthcare campuses, and other applications with load diversification benefit from a district energy system.

Check out available resources on IGSHPA’s “District Systems” page.

U.S. Geothermal Market Report

NRL (formerly NREL) just released a new report on the U.S. Geothermal Market

IGSHPA Executive Director, Jeff Hammond, as well as GeoExchange Executive Director, Ryan Dougherty, were acknowledged for technical contributions, reviews, and strategic guidance on this important industry report, which updates and expands on the 2021 U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report, also referred to as the 2021 Geothermal Market Report (Robins et al., 2021). This report was developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly known as NREL, a national laboratory supporting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Geothermal Rising, a professional and trade association for the geothermal industry, with support from the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), a professional organization for advancing geothermal heat pump technologies. The intent of this work is to provide policymakers, developers, researchers, engineers, financiers, and other stakeholders with an update on the U.S. geothermal market. 

Check out all of the reports on IGSHPA’s “Helpful Links” page.

White Paper on Transition from Legacy to New Training/Certification Programs

IGSHPA just released a new white paper on how the legacy training and certifications will transition to the new program.

Starting in July 2023, IGSHPA began a new training / certification program to replace the legacy IGSHPA training with a modular approach, while incorporating the latest technology and standards. IGSHPA partnered with CSA Group for an ANSI / CSA accredited training curriculum and CSA / IGSHPA certification program based upon ISO 17024. Additional training to support the accredited program was developed by the IGSHPA training committee with a certificate program. The goal was to replace all legacy training by the end of 2025, which was accomplished. The white paper details options for individuals holding the legacy certifications to maintain their certifications indefinitely or upgrade to the new certifications. It also provides recommendations for utility/state/provincial program transitions to the new program.

New Technical Specification for GSHPs in U.S. Government Buildings

NREL (National Renewable Energy Labs) has just released a technical specifications document for the U.S. Depart of Energy that is a customizable template.

The new customizable template for U.S. federal government agencies seeking to procure GSHP systems may be downloaded at https://www.energy.gov/femp/articles/geothermal-heat-pump-system-technical-specifications. Agencies are encouraged to add, remove, edit, and/or change any of the template language to fit the needs and requirements of the agency.

IGSHPA members who are working on U.S. government projects should download the template to assist with project specifications and design guidance. Note that the specification references IGSHPA training and the CSA/ANSI/IGSHPA C448 Design and Installation Standard. IGSHPA members can purchase the standard at a discount at https://igshpa.org/standards/; IGSHPA training/certification programs are at https://igshpa.org/training-certification/.

IGSHPA Announces New Training

Over 20 new courses, along with a new certification program are rolling out over the Summer & Fall

If you missed the July 9 IGSHPA Town Hall webinar, you will want to view the recording to learn about the exciting new offering. IGSHPA has partnered with CSA Group on new accredited training and certification programs. The two organizations have long worked together to support the GSHP industry. CSA and IGSHPA developed courses comprise over 20 choices to empower professionals to become experts in the technology!

Just this morning, the IGSHPA website has been updated to reflect the new training courses. For more information, go to igshpa.org and check out the training menu. You will see all of the new courses listed. Over the next 6 months, IGSHPA curriculum and certificate/certification programs will be completely updated, making them more accessible and easier to navigate, while including the most up-to-date information and best practices. The 10 self-paced courses are available now!

When you’re on the training pages, notice that the new courses have substantial discounts for members. One more reason to become a member!