 | District Energy
Fuels and Heat Sources |
General Description
Although most heat and power systems are limited to a single fuel, district energy systems are often designed to incorporate multiple fuels, permitting flexibility, lower costs, security against supply interruptions, and adaptation to changing environmental and regulatory conditions.
Multiple Fuel Optimization Strategy, prepared by Henry Manczyk.
Fuels used in district energy include:
- Natural Gas
- An extremely clean resource, natural gas has the added advantage of being easy to transport and use. It is generally more expensive than other fuels, but can be used in plants that have a very high total efficiency. Several district energy plants using natural gas have a total energy efficiency greater than 90%, while thetypical utility electric plant is only 30% efficient.
- International Gas Union
- International Centre for Gas Technology Information
naturalgas.com
- Oil and other Petroleum Products
- Oil is easy to transport and store, making it an ideal supplemental and backup fuel for many plants. In addition, many operatorspurchase bulk crude oil at very low cost as a primary fuel.
- Oil OnLine
- Coal
- A plentiful resource, but handling and emissions requirements limit it to larger plants. Many large cogeneration and district heating plants are coal-fired.
- National Research Center for Coal Technology
American Coal Foundation
The Center for Energy and Economic Development - Municipal Waste
- Many urban communities recycle their waste into energy in a variety of plants. As is the case with coal, handling and emissions requirements usually limit this resource to larger plants.
- International Solid Waste Association
Energy from Waste Association
European Energy from Waste Coalition
Southeastern Public Service Authority
Continental Waste Conversion
Great Lakes: Waste-to-Energy Decision-Makers' Guide - Geothermal
- The oldest district energy fuel, geothermal heat has been used continuously for more than six centuries to heat urban buildings.
- Geothermal Resources Association
International Geothermal Association
Oregon Geo-Heat Center
District Energy in Iceland
Reno Geothermal District - Biomass
- Woody and herbaceous resources have been used since Prometheus gave us fire. Often thought of only as a residential fuel, biomass is used in numerous district energy plants around the world.
- Biomass Energy Information
Biomass Energy Alliance
Centre of Biomass Technology
Non-Food Agro-Industrial Research Information Dissemination (NF-AIRID) Network
Two biomass district heating plants in Austria - Nuclear
- Nuclear plants currently provide heat in France, Russia, and China.
World Wide Web Virtual Library for District Energy
29 April 1997