This statewide workforce development plan was produced for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) project titled District Geothermal Heating + Cooling Deployment in an Environmental Justice Community. This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and is centered on the design of a technically- and economically-feasible low-temperature geothermal heating and cooling system for a low-income community in Wallingford, Connecticut. The project is being pursued by a coalition of partners, including the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), the University of Connecticut, LN Consulting, the Wallingford Housing Authority, the Wallingford Electric Division, and NEEP.
To prepare this workforce development plan, the coalition completed the Connecticut Geothermal Industry Workforce Needs Assessment, which focused on statewide and project-specific gaps in the geothermal workforce in Connecticut. The coalition then held a series of four workshops in May 2024 to inform the identification of programs and initiatives that can fill the gaps identified by the workforce needs assessment. The purpose of this plan is to recommend strategies for overcoming gaps in the state’s geothermal workforce that can be implemented within the next 30 months.
New financial incentives for geothermal projects in Connecticut from federal, state, and utility programs are likely to drive increased demand if incentives drive down the installation and operating costs for these systems. This demand could continue to rise as the technology matures and becomes more widespread, resulting in lower manufacturing and installation costs, increased competition among manufacturers and installers, and ongoing improvements in geothermal system efficiency and performance. As more geothermal systems are installed in the state, the geothermal workforce will need to grow apace. If Connecticut agencies and geothermal players can procure sufficient funding, the strategies proposed in this plan would facilitate the growth of Connecticut’s domestic geothermal workforce by reducing barriers to entry for workers with skills that are transferrable to the geothermal sector, individuals without prior geothermal experience who are interested in a career in the industry, and companies and technicians currently performing similar work in other states. The recommendations are grouped into four main topic areas: equity, recruitment and training, licensing, and drilling.
Construction of the Wallingford system is contingent on availability of funding, including a further award from DOE. Carrying out the recommendations outlined in this plan likewise is contingent on availability of funding but, regardless, the information in this plan will help advance the state’s clean energy economy. DEEP expects to explore multiple avenues for funding that may align with this report, including the New England Heat Pump Accelerator Coalition, for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced support.