Free from Combustion with Low Temperature District Heating systems?

District heating is not a new technology, but a reality-proofed solution in constant evolution. Early generations were characterised by centralised fossil fuel generation, high temperatures, heat losses and lower efficiency. As state of the art has advanced, DHC systems have evolved towards lower operating temperatures, decentralisation and higher distribution efficiency.

Modern district heating is designed to decarbonise heat supplies and integrate high shares of variable renewable energy, with multiple energy sources integrated at different points in the network. As such, they are an integral part of the "heating and cooling decarbonisation toolbox" and must be supported globally.

But low-temperature district heating faces a two-sided challenge. First, the broad deployment of LTDH systems relies on accelerating building renovations. About 95% of the 2050 building stock has already been built and waits to be renovated, modernised and decarbonised. Both trends must go hand in hand to ensure success. Second, most new systems still require some backup capacity, which is often combustion based (e.g. biomass, waste incineration, natural gas).

On the way to 2050, this session will explore the opportunities and challenges associated with combustion-free DHC networks, building on locally-available, sustainable heat sources (e.g. geothermal, solar thermal, urban waste heat). It will also shed light on efficient business models and technologies which help our sector deliver a fully decarbonised energy system.

This session is sponsored by Kingspan Logstor