Ground source heat pumps ( Program overview)
The goal of this workshop is to help set future directions for performance monitoring of ground-source heat pump systems. The workshop was organized by the Operating Agents for the IEA HPT Annex proposal Long term monitoring of GSHP system performance, being Signhild Gehlin and Jeffrey D Spitler, together with Marion Bakker from RVO. The organizers trust that gathering a diverse group of researchers and practitioners together will lead to a synergistic perspective regarding what is currently unknown and what can be learned from ongoing and future monitoring projects.
Five presentations were held during the workshop. Two of the presentations covered specific examples of performance monitoring projects – one of a centralized GSHP system and the other of a distributed GSHP system. One presentation covered a monitoring program of 10 GSHP systems. The last two presentations focused on the Dutch situation.
IEA HPT Annex proposal Long term monitoring of GSHP system performance
- Long term monitoring of GSHP system performance – example Studenthuset SWE – Signhild Gehlin – Svenskt Geoenergicentrum
- Monitoring of GSHP system at ASHRAE Headquarters USA – Jeffrey D Spitler- Oklahoma State University
- Experience from monitoring of GSHP systems USA – Xiaobing Liu – Oakridge National Laboratories
Energy thermal storage systems
- Monitoring of energy thermal storage systems in the Netherlands – Henk Witte – Groen Holland
- Lessons learned energy storage systems Dutch Railway stations – Bjorn Kouwenhoven – NS Stations Netherlands
All presentations can be downloaded as ZIP file.
The participants where split into five discussion groups, each led by one of the speakers.
Around 55 persons attended the workshop
The main points of discussion were:
- Discussions related to the proposed IEA HPT annex.
- Approaches to mastering complexity in GSHP systems.
- Status of performance monitoring guidelines and standards in various countries and how to make performance monitoring more affordable.
- Reasons for performance monitoring
- Necessity of including investment economics in the GSHP system selection process
The main conclusions were:
If further research and development can lead to lower costs, performance monitoring and automated analysis, the following benefits can be foreseen:
- Identification of best system configurations
- Better investment decisions and lower cost systems
- Improved design of systems and system components
- Improved controls, commissioning and fault detection
- More efficient systems, lower energy consumption and lower emissions
Long-term performance monitoring is highly desirable and of great interest to the workshop participants.
The new HPT Annex
The proposed HPT Annex ‘Long-term performance measurement of GSHP systems serving commercial and institutional buildings’ is focusing on that specific topic and will then begin in January 2018.
Already a number of potential participating countries have shown interest. For more information on how to participate please contact:
- Signhild Gehlin from the Svenskt Geoenergicentrum [email protected]
- Jeffrey D Spitler from Oklahoma State University [email protected]
ExCo delegates and Contracting Parties must aid their national experts with OA-fees and other financial support for participation.
Steps for collaboration with ECES and GIT, e.g. by inviting all countries involved in HPT, ECES and GIT to participate with experts/projects in the annex, and report the results from the annex to all involved ExCos (HPT will however be the “owner” of the proposed annex).
Presentation at the plenary closing session
The workshop had special emphasis on “what we can learn from long-term performance monitoring of GSHP systems”, and was especially aimed at 
providing direction to the proposed annex “Long-term performance measurement of GSHP systems serving commercial and institutional buildings.” The workshop discussions concluded that if further research and development can lead to lower costs, performance monitoring and automated analysis, the following benefits can be foreseen:
- Identification of best system configurations
- Better investment decisions and lower cost systems
- Improved design of systems and system components
- Improved controls, commissioning and fault detection
- More efficient systems, lower energy consumption and lower emissions
Ground source heat pumps at the Conference
During the Conference sessions after the day of workshops 29 papers were presented as oral presentation and as poster. Two key note papers were also presented.
Further information
During two earlier Conferences papers on ground source heat pumps were presented.
The European Geothermal Congress as organized by EGEC– 19 – 23 September 2016 in Brussels. All papers can be downloaded through the Conference Website, where especially the papers on Heat Pumps and UTES in the section Technology and Best Practice are of great interest
2017 International Ground Source Heat Pump Association Conference and Expo. March 14-16, 2017 in Denver Colorado. The proceedings are available for download from the IGSHPA Website