When it comes to geothermal heating and cooling, the world may be watching Warren for years to come.

The largest and possibly the only geothermal system designed to use water drawn from a river to heat and cool buildings in almost an entire downtown was officially turned on Wednesday.
Thomas Harley, architect for "Impact Warren," the downtown and riverfront revitalization project, said there is no doubt, "We will be a focus."

"It's a big deal," said Harley.

While other communities have theorized about the possibility of heating, cooling and providing fire sprinkler protection to entire business districts by using geothermal energy, Harley said developer Bob Yoder, Warren Mayor Mark Phillips and councilman David See said, "Why not?"

Harley said it is fortunate that Warren officials did not insist on seeing a demonstration of a similar working geothermal system, because there is none.

"The effect of this on the northeast (United States) is immense," said Harley.

Initially, said Harley, the geothermal system will draw water from the Allegheny River aquifer to provide heat, cooling and fire protection to buildings within the two-block "Impact Warren" loop.

But Harley said the system has the capacity to serve most of downtown Warren and, if there is an interest, could conceivably be extended to serve municipalities as far away as Sheffield and Jamestown, N.Y.

Harley said water will be drawn from the river at 50 degrees and put back at 52 degrees, with no impact on the environment.

"Anybody on the river has this asset," said Harley. "We are using it."

Water and the potential for geothermal heating and cooling is one asset the northeastern United States has that the southeast and southwest can not offer, said Harley, "but we've been sitting on it and not using it."

Bob Yoder of Susquehanna Development, developer of "Impact Warren," said when wells were tested, they had four times the water pressure and capacity that engineers had hoped for.

With geothermal energy, said Yoder, users will be able to heat and cool 10,000 square feet for $2,500 a year, "an incredibly low price."

"Warren needs to be real proud," said Yoder. "This is the only system like this in the world."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provided a $250,000 grant for the $1 million system and the remainder of the project was financed through a loan from County National Bank, which will have offices in one of the new downtown buildings - Liberty-West.

Gary Grove, state director of USDA, said the department is pleased to be part of such an innovative energy system and said the agency is committed to "working with communities and banks to make it all happen."

The water from the river aquifer will never enter any of the spaces to be heated or cooled. Heat exchangers and pumps will circulate the warm or cool air drawn from the water. The system is also noiseless.

In addition to the Allegheny Point apartments, which will open on Thursday, the geothermal system will provide heating, cooling and fire protection for Liberty-West, which is under construction, and the proposed riverfront townhouses, transit center, hotel and conference center.