### Appendix C



## Geothermal Heat Pump Survey Methodology



The Energy Information Administration (EIA) uses the Form EIA-902, "Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey," to collect annual information about the U.S. geothermal heat pump industry. Using this survey, the EIA obtains data from all U.S.-based geothermal heat pump manufacturers. Respondents to the survey are required to report data, by average rated capacity on: (1) shipments by calendar year; (2) shipments by destination; (3) shipments by type of customer; and (4) shipments by economic sector. The survey form and instructions are contained herein.

Survey Universe and Frame

The universe of the EIA-902 respondents is a census of U.S.-based companies involved in manufacturing geothermal heat pumps. Sources of potential respondents are compiled from previous surveys, professional and trade associations, and information in the public domain. However, because the geothermal heat pump industry is subject to sporadic entry and exit of manufacturers, the frame could exclude some small companies that recently entered (or re-entered) the industry.

Survey Procedures

The survey forms were sent out via first class mail to ensure their receipt only by the proper respondent organization. If the U.S. Postal Service was unable to deliver a survey form, the corrected address was obtained where possible. All known companies manufacturing geothermal heat pumps were contacted during this survey.

Approximately half of the respondents replied to the form within the specified initial deadlines. Those that did not were mailed another form specifying a new deadline. Those that had not responded by the second deadline were telephoned to encourage submission of the forms, and those calls resulted in the submission of the remaining forms.

Data Editing, Analyzing, and Processing

Responses to the surveys were first edited manually to verify the accuracy of the reporting and to ensure reliability of the data. Wherever manual editing procedures indicated discrepancies or omissions, telephone calls were made to confirm or clarify the data. Data from manually edited forms were then entered into the database and edited a second time via an automated procedure. After the second edit, a copy of each entry was reviewed by an analyst familiar with the survey, the geothermal heat pump industry, and its companies.

Response Rates

The response rate for the EIA-902 survey was 100 percent. The status of the companies that were mailed the Form EIA-902 is:

- Active Companies: Eighteen (18) companies are known to have shipped geothermal heat pumps during 1997.
- Out of Business: Twenty (20) companies reported being out of the geothermal heat pump industry during 1997.

Nondisclosure of Data

To protect the confidentiality of individual respondents' data, a policy was implemented to ensure that the reporting of survey data in this publication would not associate those data with a particular company. This is in compliance with EIA Standard No. 88-05-06 "Non-disclosure of Company Identifiable Data in Aggregate Cells." In tables where the nonzero value of a cell is composed of data from fewer than three companies, or if a single company dominates a table-cell value so that the publication of the value would lead to identification of a company's data, the EIA classifies the cell value as "sensitive" and the cell value is withheld ("W") from publication. Within a table having a sensitive cell value,

selected values in other cells of the table are also withheld, as necessary, so that the sensitive cell value cannot be computed using the values in published cells.

A sensitive table-cell value can be reported, if permission is first obtained from each company (whose data contribute to the sensitivity) to publish the value. This is the only exception to the application of EIA Standard No. 88-05-06 in this report.

Survey Accuracy

A discussion of potential limitations on the accuracy of the data collected on the Form EIA-902 is contained in Appendix B.


To download a .PDF of the **Form OMB No. 1901-0303,** click here.

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