The geothermal industry is once again gearing up for a powerful showing in Saratoga Springs, New York, as the annual NY-GEO Conference prepares to bring together policymakers, contractors, educators, and innovators for a multi-day event that emphasizes not just clean energy technologies, but the people and partnerships driving them forward.

In Episode 147 of The Driller Newscast, host Brock Yordy welcomes John Ciovacco, president of Aztech Geothermal and co-chair of the NY-GEO Conference, for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of geothermal energy—and why NY-GEO 2025 might be the most ambitious edition yet.

 

The conversation opens with Ciovacco’s unconventional journey into geothermal, transitioning from aerospace engineering and collegiate rowing coach to becoming one of New York’s leading voices in clean energy deployment. His insights set the tone for a conference that blends technical depth with real-world urgency.

(You can watch/listen to this full clip starting at the mark 4:16 above)

The 2025 conference kicks off on Earth Day, April 22, with a live drilling demonstration and student-centered field day hosted in partnership with BOCES trade schools. More than 200 students are expected to attend, receiving hands-on exposure to geothermal drilling, loop fusion, thermal connectivity testing, and more. Ciovacco emphasized that events like this go beyond training—they spark imagination and cultivate a future-ready workforce.

From April 23–24, the NY-GEO Conference will take over the Saratoga Springs City Center, offering expanded space for exhibits, equipment showcases, and a six-track educational agenda featuring over 30 sessions. Topics will range from thermal energy networks to federal policy, building electrification, and new technologies. Ciovacco noted that every panel is curated—not submitted—by design, to ensure a rich, multi-perspective learning experience.

Keynote appearances will include:

• U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko and representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, underscoring the interstate collaboration necessary to achieve scale.
   
• Additional sessions will tackle IRA tax credits, modeling tools for utilities, and the growing importance of district-scale systems.

Ciovacco also highlighted the value of NY-GEO’s recorded presentations, available on YouTube post-conference, as part of a broader mission to make geothermal knowledge as accessible and actionable as possible.

Bottom line: Scaling geothermal in New York won’t happen in isolation. It requires cross-sector collaboration, regulatory adaptability, and a laser focus on training and accessibility. Whether you’re a driller, designer, policymaker, or student, NY-GEO 2025 is positioning itself as the place where the next era of clean heating and cooling begins.

(You can watch/listen to this full clip starting at the mark 10:57 above)

“This isn’t just a state conference,” Ciovacco said. “It’s where national and international ideas come together, and where real solutions take shape.”

Make sure to click the video play button at the top of the page to catch the full interview—and get inspired ahead of Earth Day.

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Brock Yordy, Global Drilling SME, Anchor, and lead content creator at TheDriller.com, wants you to contribute to TheDriller.com. Send news, tips and interview suggestions to questions@askbrock.com.