The stage of the DH system influences the development of DC, and large-scale HPs will play an essential role in integrating possibilities to develop combined heating and cooling.
Create regulations to protect the consumer, including price and/or profit structures, consumer influence, and transparency for utilities, in close collaboration with the industry.
Make energy planning by dividing the cities and regions into zones best suited for gas, DH, or individual heat supply. Zoning ensures that the networks do not compete within the same areas of parallel infrastructures.
Consider energy planning as a natural part of the urban planning of infrastructure, if possible, with the interaction between buildings, DHC, and thermal generation.
DH has a significant market share in countries in which the cities have established a public utility. These public utilities are responsible for heating, gas, electricity, and waste and can therefore optimize the zoning of the networks and ensure integration of the sectors. Attaining reliable and long-term energy solutions calls for the right structural balance between private sector knowledge and public sector framework, enabling DH infrastructure for the long term by having a relatively clear view of future market changes and low risks.
Smart and local reneWable Energy DISTRICT heating and cooling solutions for sustainable living, in short ‘W.E.DISTRICT’, is an ongoing EU project that brings together 21 partners fromacross Europe, aiming to demonstrate innovative fossil free DHC systems. The objective includes the demonstration of integrated DHC solutions that exploits the combination of RES, thermal storage, and waste heat recycling technologies to satisfy 100%of the heating and cooling energy demand in new DHC and up to 60-100% in retrofitted DHC. For this purpose, the WEDISTRICT project focuses on four large-scale demonstration projects as well as a set of simulated virtual demos selected from the identification of potential demo-followers.
Further work and demonstration To fulfill the ambitions of the WEDISTRICT, four demonstration sites across Europe are set up - to showcase success stories. The four real-scale demo sites are carried out in different climate zones, where there are distinctive DHC systems and construction traditions. Each of the demo cases is based on the integration of two or more RE-based technologies.
Eventually, the WEDISTRICT project expects the main result to be a portfolio of replicable solutions for various DHC systems in different climates and different buildings in different business scenarios. At the same time, the project aims for a higher public acceptance of DHC systems through dialog with the end- users carried out along the project. By switching to fossil-free energy, the sector would bring us one step closer to climate neutrality, better air quality in European cities, and thus higher quality of life for the citizens.
The project is funded from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement N°857801.
For further information please contact: Pernille M. Overbye, PMO@ramboll.com
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