Dandelion Energy and Lennar partner to offer geothermal deployment

Dandelion Energy and Lennar Corporation have announced a partnership to integrate Dandelion’s geothermal systems into 1,500 new Lennar homes built in Colorado. The agreement establishes a framework to potentially make geothermal heating and cooling systems standard in new home construction, according to company representatives.

“This partnership with Lennar sets a new benchmark for affordable, energy efficient, and high-quality home heating and cooling,” said Daniel Yates, CEO at Dandelion Energy. “We’re excited to bring our geothermal technology into a high-production environment and accelerate our efforts to deliver the unparalleled comfort, performance, and cost savings of geothermal heat pumps to Colorado homeowners.”

“Our collaboration with Dandelion Energy brings innovative geothermal technology into our homes—offering Colorado homeowners a cleaner, more efficient way to heat and cool their homes, while reducing long-term costs and future-proofing their investment,” said Stuart Miller, executive chairman and Co-CEO of Lennar. “It supports our broader commitment to making high-quality, attainable housing more accessible.”

According to a recent report from the Department of Energy, widespread adoption of geothermal heat pumps could eliminate the need for 24,500 miles of new grid transmission lines — the equivalent of crossing the United States eight times.

“Geothermal energy – the heat beneath our feet – is a clean energy option that will help save Coloradans money and protect our state for future generations. I’m very excited that Dandelion is building on Colorado’s leadership on geothermal by connecting more than 1,500 Colorado homes to low-cost heating and cooling. It’s good for Coloradans, for our air quality, and our economy,” said Governor Polis.

“Geothermal heat pumps are extremely efficient at both heating and cooling, while reducing emissions, easing demand on the electric grid, and saving residents thousands of dollars on energy costs,” said Will Toor, executive director, Colorado Energy Office. “Ensuring affordable access to geothermal heating and cooling is essential to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and we’re excited to be part of such a huge effort to bring this technology to so many new Colorado homes.”

This initiative will benefit from incentives including Colorado’s state tax credit for geothermal heat pumps and Xcel Energy’s geothermal and all-electric new construction programs. With incentives, the up-front cost of geothermal heat pumps is significantly reduced for homebuilders like Lennar, enabling broader adoption and significant benefits to Colorado residents, according to the company.

“This ground-source heat pump project is an example of how our Clean Heat Plan and our electrification strategy for new home developments are delivering on our shared climate goals and keeping bills low,” said Robert Kenney, president of Xcel Energy-CO. “Our customer options, including rebates, are designed to lower the cost of highly efficient electric technologies for customers interested in all-electric new homes, as well as replacing their natural gas furnaces to reduce the use of natural gas in existing homes. We’ll continue working with the Governor’s office, the state, local governments and industry partners to raise awareness for the new programs and rebates available to our customers to lower their own emissions and keep their energy bills low.”

“Colorado is leading the nation in the transition to clean energy, and today’s groundbreaking marks a major step forward in that effort. With this investment, we are not only reducing carbon emissions but helping to lower energy costs for families. Colorado is proving that we can fight climate change, create good-paying jobs, and ensure a healthier future for all,” said Senator Michael Bennet, Senator John Hickenlooper and Congressman Jason Crow in a joint statement.