Urbana bulk‑purchase geothermal program shows modest uptake; staff eye outreach and incentives
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Summary
City staff reported roughly eight ground‑source geothermal systems installed through the bulk purchase program this round (about 35 tons) and said some households pivoted to air‑source heat pumps; commissioners discussed outreach, yard‑sign social norming and potential incentives to boost adoption.
City staff reported to the Sustainability Advisory Commission that the city's fifth round of a bulk geothermal purchase program (described in the packet as Geothermal Urbana‑Champaign) is nearly complete, with about eight ground‑source systems installed totaling roughly 35 tons of capacity—similar to last season.
"It looks like we're probably gonna finish up with 8 systems installed for 35 tons," City staff (Unidentified) said. Staff added that a number of households who initially pursued ground‑source heat pumps ultimately installed air‑source heat pumps because of site constraints; staff did not maintain a tight count for air‑source installs but estimated about a half‑dozen this year.
Commissioners discussed public outreach measures to increase adoption, including yard signs and community events, and suggested using school and library partnerships to educate residents. One commissioner proposed highlighting homeowners who have geothermal to create social-norm momentum; another recommended 'myth‑busting' material that addresses common misconceptions about temperature control and noise.
Staff noted federal and state incentives influence program uptake: a federal residential tax credit for geothermal was described as expiring at the end of the year and Illinois state incentives are forthcoming but not yet fully detailed in the session. Staff said outreach and education will be needed to recruit residents beyond those already 'on the fence.'
The commission discussed whether neighborhood or district geothermal systems could be feasible on new large developments; City staff said a developer with a large parcel could evaluate a district system but that planning/zoning considerations would guide feasibility.
Next steps: commissioners suggested promoting geothermal through community events and the commission agreed to explore education partnerships with local schools and the Urbana Free Library. Staff will continue to track installations and report counts and outcomes in future meetings.