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for district energy and microgrids. We signed an MOU with parties from Korea, China, Mongolia and the EU to collaborate on district energy/CHP deployment. Our members across the Middle East are driving expansion of district cooling. Looking ahead to 2016, IDEA anticipates signing memorandums of understanding with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) to collaborate on district energy/CHP deployment, with ASHRAE on multiple provisions and with US Green Buildings Council on treatment of district energy in LEED and accelerating adoption of PEER for more resilient, sustainable energy grids. We plan to continue and expand our activities with UNEP and ICLEI to work together on appropriate capacity-building and policies. District energy is certainly on the radar of city leaders, planners and policy makers, as well as those organizations actively supporting clean energy evolution. It will be important for industry leaders like DBDH, Euroheat & Power, AGFW and IDEA to be available and involved in these many conversations, bringing to bear experience and operational insight if we are to be effective partners in accelerating district energy deployment. The pivotal Paris Agreement sets the stage for dramatic acceleration of activities in the months and years ahead. Now that the ink is dry, our work really begins.
Some elements of the accord are voluntary, while others are legally binding. That hybrid structure was specifically designed to ensure support from the United States: An accord that would have required legally binding targets for emissions reductions would be legally interpreted as a new treaty that would require Senate ratification, essentially dead on arrival with the current majority. As a result, all language in the accord relating to the reduction of carbon emissions is essentially voluntary, assigning no concrete targets to any country for emissions reductions. Instead, each government has crafted a plan detailing how they would lower emissions at home, based on what each head of state believes is feasible given the country’s domestic political and economic situation. The accord uses the language of an existing treaty, the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to put forth legally binding language requiring countries to verify their emissions, and to periodically put forth new, tougher domestic plans over time. Heading into Paris, many multi-national corporations, including large oil and mining concerns, also signed onto compacts calling for a decisive, transparent global agreement that would provide clarity and consistency to enable longer-term investments to lower carbon emissions and drive the transition from a fossil-based economy. Similarly, here in the US, utilities and industry alike foresee the impact of policies like the EPA Clean Power Plan accelerating a transition to cleaner, more distributed generation. During 2015, IDEA worked closely with groups like the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, EcoDistricts, Microgrid Resources Coalition and C40 Cities to expand awareness and develop more capacity The Development of District Heating District heating is expanding wherever it is potentially possible at Vestegnen, the suburban area west of Copenhagen. Converting into district heating is a cheap, secure and environmental friendly alternative to natural gas and oil – with half the emission of CO 2 . But it can be even better: VEKS aims for a CO 2 -neutral heat supply by 2025.
For further information please contact:
Robert P. Thornton IDEA
+1-508-366-9339 office +1-508-254-7369 mobile rob.idea@districtenergy.org www.districtenergy.org
24 Lyman Street, Suite 230 Westborough, MA 01581
VEKS is an environmentally certified heat-transmission company supplying 20 local district heating companies with heat generated at Vest- egnen. The heat supplied equals the consumption of 150,000 families. The majority of heat is supplied to VEKS from the Avedøre Power Plant and the other CHP plants in Copenhagen as well as from the waste incineration plants KARA/NOVEREN and Vestforbrænding. VEKS is a non-profit company. Further information: www.veks.dk
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