HEATING WITHOUT GLOBAL WARMING? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DISTRICT HEATING AND DISTRICT COOLING

Transcription

1 ENGLISH BROCHURE SAMPLE HEATING WITHOUT GLOBAL WARMING? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DISTRICT HEATING AND DISTRICT COOLING

2 Today, Europe wastes a lot of energy. More than half of the energy is lost on its way to the customer. The fundamental idea of modern district heating is to recycle heat that otherwise would be lost and to use renewable sources to heat homes. In other words: a market place for green heat that reduces consumption of natural gas and fuel oil. More district heating will help Europe achieve its aims of being: energy efficient and flexible in its energy choices less dependent on energy imports competitive and a leader in climate change In this folder you will find answers to the 10 most frequently asked questions about district heating as well as the new concept of district cooling.

3 DISTRICT HEATING SOURCES Combined heat and power plant Geothermal Municipal waste incineration Biomass Solar thermal Surplus heat from industry and biofuel refineries

4 1. What is District Heating? >> District heating is a convenient and sustainable way of heating space and tap water. In many processes, for example when electricity is generated or waste is burned, large parts of the energy are set free in the form of surplus heat. The fundamental idea behind modern district heating is to recycle this surplus heat which otherwise would be wasted from electricity production, from fuel- and biofuel-refining, and from different industrial processes. Furthermore district heating can make use of many kinds of renewables (biomass, geothermal, solar thermal).

5

6 2. How does District Heating heat my HOUSE and tap water? >> The recycled heat is used to heat water which is transported to the customer via a well-insulated network of pipes. District heating can serve residential, public, and commercial buildings as well as meeting industrial demands for low-temperature heat. A heat exchanger serves as an interface between the district heating network and the building s own radiator and hot tap water system. There s no boiler, no burning flame needed in the house, and maintenance is taken care of by professionals.

7

8 3. Why should the European Union care about a local business such as District Heating? >> The European Union has set targets to reduce energy consumption by 20% and to reduce CO 2 emissions by at least 20% (possibly 30%) by Though a local business, district heating can greatly contribute to achieving global policy objectives. Doubling sales of district heating by 2020 will reduce Europe s: primary energy supply by 2.6% or 50.7 Mtoe/year import dependency by Mtoe/year carbon dioxide emissions by 9.3% or 404 Mtoe/year equal to primary energy supply of Sweden equal to primary energy supply of Poland equalling current emissions of France from fuel combustion

9

10 4. How can we compare District Heating with other heating options? >> Heating systems can be compared in terms of their contribution to reducing the use of fossil energy. Only an assessment encompassing the whole energy cycle from conversion to delivery (thus, including transportation losses) will give a realistic picture. An approach based on primary resource factors (PRF) makes it possible to compare heating systems. Primary resource factors measure the combined effect of efficiency and the use of renewable and surplus heat resources. The lower the PRF of a technology, the greater its contribution to reducing the use of fossil energy Average PRF in 32 European countries 2,5 1,3 0,82 0,9 Data for 32 European countries confirms that district heating is one of the most environmentally sound heating options. Source: Ecoheatcool Project District heating Electric heating Gas boilers Heat pump

11 Comparisons of heat costs for natural gas and district heating in 2003 Final heat cost, EUR/GJ heat 25 District heating, customer cost Natural gas, customer cost Romania Czech Republic Lithuania Latvia Estonia France Hungary Slovak Republic Poland Croatia Austria Slovenia United Kingdom Germany Netherlands Sweden To ensure adequate return on the capital-intensive investment in the district heating infrastructure, it is essential that legislation provides for fair allocation of the economic value of the benefits to all parties involved including to the investor and operator. These benefits (including avoided cost for alternative investment, avoided energy imports, price stability and environmental savings) are indeed huge for the local community and the national economy as a whole. Italy Denmark Natural gas price incl. tax for households, EUR/GJ calorific value Source: Ecoheatcool Project

12 >> An international study has shown that district heating prices are on national average lower than natural gas prices. However, prices vary from one system to another, due to local circumstances and in respect of locally available resources. 5. how much does it cost?

13

14 >> Yes, just as you can with any other heating system. In modern district heating systems, several possibilities exist for regulating the temperature of each room, for example with thermostatic radiator valves. Furthermore, modern heat meters or allocators ensure that every customer pays only for his consumption. 6. Can customers efficiently control the indoor temperature of their home?

15

16

17 District heating, market shares between 10 and 40%. Iceland District heating, market shares over 40%. Finland Denmark Sweden Estonia Latvia Lithuania Germany Poland Czech Republic Hungary Austria Slovakia Croatia Romania Bulgaria As one of the most effective tools to reduce Europe s fossil fuel consumption, district heating should be given a prominent role in local, national and European policymaking.

18 >> Today s liberalized markets are focused on short-term return on capital. Therefore investors do not necessarily consider long-term commitments such as district heating as attractive options. Utilities will only take the right strategic and technological decisions when society sends clear signals. 7. If District Heating is so smart, why isn t it more widespread? Energy infrastructure planning must be driven by the objective of climate protection. Furthermore, to ensure an adequate return on investment in the district heating infrastructure, legislation must provide for fair allocation of the economic value of the benefits to all parties including to the investor and operator. These benefits including avoided energy imports, price stability and environmental savings are indeed huge for the local community and the national economy as a whole.

19

20 8. What is District Cooling? >> District cooling is a sustainable alternative to conventional elec tricity or gas-driven air conditioning systems. As with district heating, the main idea is to use local resources that otherwise would be wasted or difficult to use. The strategic resources are: natural cooling from deep sea, lakes and rivers conversion of surplus heat from industry, Combined Heat & Power and waste incineration. Cool exchanger Air conditioning

21

22 9. how can District Cooling contribute to a sustainable energy future? >> Due to the use of resources that otherwise would be wasted or difficult to use, district cooling systems reach efficiencies that are between 5 and 10 times higher than with traditional electricity-driven equipment. They can greatly contribute to avoiding electricity peak loads during summer which are increasingly occurring due to cooling demands in all European regions, in particular in Southern Europe. As a consequence, the need for investments in new power generation and network capacities as well as greenhouse gas emissions from power production, can be significantly reduced. Welcome side-effects include the avoidance of hazardous refrigerants, enhanced aesthetics and the reduction of both legio nella risks and noise in urban areas.

23

24 10. Where do we go next? >> Future generations depend on our ability not to exhaust resources and to create the technological basis for covering their demands for comfort without global warming. Experience from more than 5,000 European cities shows that it s not a utopia. We can make it happen. Expanding district heating and cooling will help to save significant amounts of primary energy and reduce emissions. It hits all cylinders of modern energy policy. It s clean, comfortable and reliable. It s mature and future-proof. In other words: just common sense. Say yes to district heating and district cooling!

25 ABOUT EUROHEAT & POWER With members in 32 countries, including 24 national associations, Euroheat & Power unites the district heating and cooling sector throughout Europe and beyond. We promote the advantages of district heating and cooling and focus attention on the use of combined heat and power, surplus heat and renewable energies. Euroheat & Power initiates international activities and projects for the benefit of environmental awareness, technical innovation and transfer of best practice. For more information please contact: Euroheat & Power Avenue de Tervuren 300, 1150 Brussels, Belgium +32 (0)

26

27 Euroheat & Power avenue de tervuren 300, 1150 brussels, belgium tel: +32 (0) fax: +32 (0)