The first Global District Energy Climate Summit took place in Copenhagen on November 3. The District Energy Awards were also presented, in cooperation with the IEA.

PRESS RELEASE

 

For immediate release

 

District Heating and Cooling: sustainable technologies for today and tomorrow

 

The first District Energy Climate Summit took place on the 3 of November, supported by the municipality of Copenhagen and listed as an official side-event to the Conference of the Parties.

This was the first global event organized jointly between Euroheat & Power¹, the International District Energy Association², Dansk Fjernvarme³ and the Danish Board of District Heating ⁴, with support from the municipality of Copenhagen.

The obligations on municipalities and cities around the world to lower their CO₂ and to increase their energy efficiency while still maintaining reliability are increasingly pressing; however, District Energy is proving to be the ideal solution to this thorny dilemma. District Energy can play a key role in building smart, self-sustainable cities. Urban areas are home to the majority of the world’s citizens, meaning that the fight against climate change will be either won or lost in cities.

The summit provided an introduction to the principles and benefits of District Energy. It brought together government representatives, policy leaders and environmentalists and invited them to experience first-hand how district energy can deliver higher efficiency, greater fuel flexibility and more sustainability.

It was also the occasion to announce the first District Energy Climate Awards to city pioneers driving innovative district heating and cooling concepts.

 “These communities are showing the world the path forward on climate change: low-carbon, energy efficient district energy systems are win/win/win solutions for the environment, energy security and local economic growth.  We hope that other cities look to these models as examples”, said Richard Jones, Deputy Director of the IEA in his keynote speech.

With entrants from 11 different countries ⁵ the judging panel, under the auspices of the IEA, conceded that it had proved to be a difficult choice, but 6 of the entrants were awarded with special mention for their outstanding contribution to district energy. The Awards were presented at a special ceremony by Lena Sommestad, former Swedish Environment Minister.

The representative organizations of the district energy sector joined forces in leading the way to Copenhagen with this pioneering summit. They also produced their joint recommendations to include district energy in the future Global Climate Agreement Post 2012. The  recommendations are intended to guide decision-makers gathering at the COP-15

 The list of winners is available here.

 

Notes for Editors

1.       Euroheat & Power, the International Association of District Heating & Cooling.

2.      IDEA, US based International District Energy Association

3.      Dansk Fjernvarme Danish District Heating  Association

4.      DBDH, Danish Board of District Heating 

5.      USA, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, France, Finland, China, Poland, Czech. Republic and Austria

 

 

 

District Energy (District Heating & Cooling)

District Heating is an intelligent, environmentally friendly way to heat homes, schools and other premises. It is supplied by a central plant which can use advanced methods to run on many different fuels, so benefitting both households and the environment.

District cooling is based on the same principle, but instead supplies cool, fresh temperatures. The advantages of district energy solutions are that they create a better use of energy sources with high efficiency.