Photo from Princeton University Facilities
Advanced district energy systems (DES) use a low- or zero-carbon central generation system to provide energy-efficient heating and cooling for multiple buildings. As US communities create sustainability plans, DES could contribute by reducing carbon emissions and improving reliability of service. But because the US lacks policies and market structures to encourage DES, this type of energy system is often overlooked, representing an untapped avenue for sustainability.
Researchers from the Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Systems Lab and Florida State University (Kangkang Tong, Anu Ramaswami, and Richard Feiock) interviewed DES operators to find out how existing DES systems could be improved for better sustainability outcomes. The interviews focused on how system operators and designers interact with the ecosystem, technology, institutions, and users during the process of an upgrade.
US federal and state policies do not incentivize upgrades to district energy systems, so operators and designers are motivated to make improvements based on user demand and local policy preferences. DES operators and designers emphasized the importance of working closely with users and policymakers, engaging potential customers, and tapping into technical expertise during the process of transition. However, despite local progress in some areas, large-scale shifts toward more sustainable DES will likely not occur without changes to policy at the state and federal level.
Read the full paper, Environmentally sustainable transitions of US district energy systems: Perspectives from infrastructure operators/designers through the co-evolutionary lens, in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Fun fact:
Did you know that Princeton University uses a DES? The Princeton Energy Plant provides electricity, steam, and chilled water to power, heat, and cool the buildings on campus.
Learn more:
Fact sheet: What is district energy? (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)
District energy: A secret weapon for climate action and human health (UN Environment Programme)