Experts debate district energy solutions for low-carbon cities
- By Zhang Junmian
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 29, 2015
Experts said on June 27 that district energy solutions offer a great potential for cities in the world to build a low-carbon, efficient and cost-effective energy network and achieve sustainable development.
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Ligia Noronha, director of the UNEP’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, launched the report "District Energy in Cities: Unlocking the Potential of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy" at the sub-forum "Climate and Energy Model Regions/Smart Cities" on June 27, 2015. [Photo by Zhang Junmian/China.org.cn] |
Their comments came at "Climate and Energy Model Regions/Smart Cities," a themed sub-forum of the ongoing 2015 Eco Forum Global Annual Conference in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province.
Modern district cooling or heating makes full use of surplus energy from combined power plants, and is compatible with multiple local renewable and future energies.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Danfoss, a global leader for energy-efficient solutions, recently jointly issued the Chinese version of the report -- "District Energy in Cities: Unlocking the Potential of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy."
A total of 45 model cities were included in the report to demonstrate that district energy is effective in helping fulfill an array of sustainable development goals, including combating climate change and air pollution, as well as developing renewable energy and economic growth.
The "District Energy in Cities" initiative, co-ordinated by UNEP and Danfoss, operates under the Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL).
"Cities are absolutely the most important, and the key to changes as we see them," said Ligia Noronha, director of the UNEP's Division of Technology, Industry and Economics.
Noronha noted that cities create 80 percent of the world's GDP and in the context of addressing energy-related issues, they become the primary center of attention.
Cities drive the global economy, and they also consume large amounts of energy with substantial emissions. According to the report, "cities account for over 70 percent of global energy use and, 40 to 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide."
As half of energy consumption in cities goes to heating and cooling, modern district energy stands out as a cost-effective solution to improve energy efficiency.
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