A Decision Support Tool for Implementing District Heating in Existing Cities, Focusing on Using a Geothermal Source

Ioannis Acheilas, Fransje Hooimeijer and Aksel Ersoy
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Ioannis Acheilas: Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Fransje Hooimeijer: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Aksel Ersoy: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-30

Abstract: In the context of climate change mitigation strategies in urban environments and reducing reliance on carbon-based energy sources, the Netherlands is gradually taking steps towards modification of its thermal energy system. Geothermal energy, widely used in agriculture, has recently emerged as a local, clean, and sustainable energy source able to fulfil the residential demand for space heating and has received growing attention in district energy planning. However, failed attempts in the past and the lack of experience with direct application of this technology in district heating systems has increased uncertainty with respect to the technical, spatial, and socioeconomic barriers to be overcome between supply and demand. This calls for the application of decision support tools in order to remove these barriers and facilitate more appropriate decision making towards the implementation of smart thermal energy grids in local energy communities. This research explores how the network of actors, those who see opportunities in direct use of geothermal energy in the Netherlands, can work on the transformation of the current centralised carbon-based energy systems towards local sustainable energy communities.

Keywords: district heating; geothermal source; decision support tool; GIS; urban energy analysis; local energy community (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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