Direct Energy

EnergyCore, which supplies and installs geothermal heat pumps that tap into the natural heat of the earth to save up to 70% on energy bills, today commences its national accreditation program. With a substantial pipeline of inquiries and potential government support, EnergyCore will soon have installers on the ground (well, in the ground) in all states of Australia.

Beginning operations only just over a year ago, EnergyCore commissioned its first geothermal heat pump late in 2007 at the Highfields Sustainability Centre, Point Lonsdale (The Age, 17th November 2008). EnergyCore has since progressed on another 20 installations throughout Victoria and was recently recognised by RMIT who awarded it $35,000 in prizes at an awards ceremony for RMIT University's 2008 Business Plan Competition.

The Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA), which represents geothermal hot-rock companies such as Geodynamics as well as geothermal heat pump companies, is lobbying for state and federal support for the technology. There is a strong case for inclusion of the technology for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and rebates alongside solar photovoltaic, solar hot-water and wind technologies: If every Australian household installed a geothermal heat pump, we could single-handedly meet our 2020 renewable energy target. The simple physics is that solar works when the sun shines, wind when the wind blows, and geothermal capacity is there 24/7 right beneath our feet!