Our Stories: Below the Streets of Haverstraw Lies an Energy Opportunity Like No Other

Orange & Rockland’s next path towards supporting New York’s clean energy goals is surprisingly right under our feet.

Over the last few years, O&R has encouraged homeowners to install geothermal heat pumps through the New York State Clean Heat Program. At the same time, the company has also been working to scale the technology so multiple buildings throughout entire neighborhoods can participate in the clean energy transition. Clean Energy Planning (CEP), led by Kristen Barone, O&R Distribution Resource Integration department manager, has spearheaded the effort.

Since New York’s Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act became law in the summer of 2022, Kai Wu, a section manager of Electrification Portfolio Management (EPM) under CEP, has been leading a team to develop O&R’s first utility thermal energy network (UTEN) pilot in the service territory. The Village of Haverstraw, a disadvantaged community, was chosen after working closely with O&R’s Regional & Community Affairs and New Business teams.

“We started looking at this technology well before it became a state requirement, but once the law was passed, it really gave the opportunity we were seeking to bring this to life,” Barone said. “If our pilot program is successful, we could potentially launch an entire new business unit for the company in offering geothermal solutions.”

The UTEN Vision for Haverstraw

So, how does UTEN work? Near the surface, Earth’s temperature fluctuates with the seasons, but a few hundred feet below the ground, the temperature consistently remains around 55 degrees. The thermal energy stored in the ground acts like a battery and is a powerful source of renewable energy that O&R can tap into to heat and cool buildings using heat pumps, rather than fossil fuels.

UTEN connects buildings through a loop of underground pipes carrying a water-based fluid. The fluid maintains a constant temperature by exchanging heat with the earth through geothermal boreholes, and/or by capturing excess heat from buildings on the network.

“From the beginning, Haverstraw has been extremely engaged in exploring this pilot program with Kai and O&R’s entire UTEN team,” Barone said. “This project checks a lot of boxes and gives customers in disadvantaged communities an opportunity to participate in the clean energy future, whereas they might not have otherwise had an opportunity.” 

The proposed UTEN pilot could consist of two separate single-pipe ambient temperature loop systems, which would include an eastern network near the Hudson River and a western network located near Haverstraw Village Hall. Buildings that are adjacent to the proposed loops would have access to the UTEN and can provide very efficient heating and cooling with heat pumps.

It is estimated that the Haverstraw project could result in an estimated 2,600 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) emissions reduced per year, as compared to conventional heating with natural gas if O&R is successful with its customer acquisition.

Working Hard Behind the Scenes

At this juncture, the initial schematic design for Haverstraw’s UTEN pilot is almost complete, and a filing will be done with the New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC) later this year to show O&R’s full UTEN design. If approved, the construction phase will then begin, and the goal is to have majority of the thermal load connected from the outset.

Over the last few months, O&R’s UTEN team has participated in several events in Haverstraw to promote the project and have engaged in door knocking throughout the town to speak to commercial and residential customers directly. O&R’s marketing team has also produced a website and educational materials for prospective customers.

Two test boreholes were drilled this past December, marking an important step in advancing the engineering design of the UTEN system. These boreholes, each 850-foot deep, were then subject to formation conductivity testing to determine how much thermal energy is available in the project areas. This data is used for determining the number of boreholes that will be needed to provide sufficient thermal energy to the connected buildings.

Michael Kohut, mayor of the Village of Haverstraw, has been an avid supporter of the UTEN pilot and believes it could be an incredible opportunity for residents.

“The Village of Haverstraw is excited to participate in O&R’s UTEN pilot program. Geothermal heating and cooling is the future, and we are happy to be on the ground floor of O&R’s efforts to harness and utilize this renewable resource,” Kohut said. “Haverstraw’s continuing push to innovate and modernize our village in a sustainable manner matches nicely with O&R’s goals for its territory and customers.”