Norfolk Ram Group, LLC, a leading environmental engineering firm with extensive geothermal project experience through its National Geothermal Division has begun work on Maine's largest geothermal installation at the Portland International Jetport as part of the airport's $75 million terminal expansion project. When the installation is complete, the Jetport will be the first commercial airport in the country to use funds from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) program for a geothermal system for heating and cooling. Jetport officials first considered geothermal energy after learning that a typical installation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 tons per year, cut energy costs by 80 % and pay for itself in well under three years. The installation is scheduled to be completed in October and operational in July 2011.
"Airports are one of the country's largest contributors of greenhouse gases," said Mark Bartlett, president of National Geothermal. "Air travel is a necessity, but until there are clean flight technologies, installing a geothermal heating and cooling system makes sense for airport managers who want to reduce their facilities' environmental impact. We are excited to work with the Portland Jetport to help it offset its environmental impact by becoming one of the first airports in the United States with a geothermal heating and cooling system."
The VALE program is funding the project with a $2.53 million grant to the city of Portland. The installation will consist of a total of 120 boreholes, 500-foot deep, adding up to more than 60,000-feet of ground loop coil. When complete, the Jetport estimates it will reduce its oil consumption by more than 100,000 gallons each year, and is expected to save more than $10 million in oil usage costs during the life of the geothermal system. The VALE program allows airport sponsors to use the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds to make airport air quality improvements and partially finance, up to 95%, major capital investments that reduce tonnage of ozone emissions.
"A geothermal installation will bring us one step closer to our goal of reducing our carbon footprint by limiting the airport's use of fossil fuels," said Roy Williams, deputy director for the Portland International Jetport. "The new heating system will help us to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases, and will improve overall air quality for airport employees, passengers and the local community.
National Geothermal is New England's fastest growing geothermal design and installation firm, providing innovative sustainable energy solutions to regional businesses, nonprofits and homeowners. The company's in-house staff of experienced geothermal technicians, certified by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, has completed more than 75 geothermal installations throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.nationalgeothermal.com.