District Heating & Cooling Systems
District heating and cooling systems distribute thermal energy in the form of steam, hot water, or chilled liquids, from central or decentralised sources of production through a network to multiple buildings or sites, for the use of space or process heating or cooling. For a lower environmental impact, a combination of recycled and renewable heat is the focus for district heating systems. Following the Paris Agreement in 2015 and the EU target to cut emissions by at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, there has been an increased effort from member states to foster district heating and cooling using alternative fuel sources and carbon-neutral heat-producing technologies. This transition is challenging as district heating supplies only 12% of the EU´s heat supply, with most of the energy produced from CHP plants powered by natural gas and solid fuels such as lignite. Problems to be solved Carbon emissions Low-efficient heat supply Fossil fuel dependency GHG emissions