E-Week Presentation - Emergence of Thermal Energy Networks

Program Abstract:

This program provided an update on the expanding number of Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) and Utility Thermal Energy Networks (UTENs) across the US in recent years.  Driven largely by either climate legislation or policy driven regulation, there are now 13 states (as of 11/2025) that have legislation in place to expand TENs and/or UTENs.  The session discussed the expanding scope of these systems being designed and installed by both regulated gas utilities, in campus environments, by municipalities and public/private partnerships.  Topics include project economics, federal & state incentives, design & control of TENs, environmental benefits and potential reductions in local electric grid demand.  These are complex-community scale projects involving many engineering disciplines to design and execute effectively.

Speaker Bio

John P. Ciovacco, CGD, the President of Aztech Geothermal, LLC is the Immediate Past President of the New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO), an Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Certified GeoExchange Designer (CGD), International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) Accredited Installer (AI), and a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Contractor. He received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Union College. John chairs the educational sessions at NY-GEO’s annual heat pump conference which is widely regarded as the largest and most comprehensive in the Northeastern US. His company, Aztech Geothermal has designed and installed hundreds of residential and commercial ground source heat pump systems since the early 2000’s.  Aztech is involved in over 15 Thermal Energy Network / Networked Geothermal projects in the US, many of them involving regulated gas and electric utilities.