Roadblocks to Low Temperature District Heating

Michael-Allan Millar, Bruce Elrick, Greg Jones, Zhibin Yu and Neil M. Burnside
Additional contact information
Michael-Allan Millar: James Watt School of Engineering, James Watt Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Bruce Elrick: Hoare Lea, Highlander House, Glasgow G2 7DA, UK
Greg Jones: Hoare Lea, Highlander House, Glasgow G2 7DA, UK
Zhibin Yu: James Watt School of Engineering, James Watt Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Neil M. Burnside: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, James Weir Building, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-21

Abstract: Energy usage in buildings is coming increasingly under the spotlight as carbon policy focus shifts towards the utilization of thermal energy. In the UK, heating and hot water accounts for around 40% of energy consumption and 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. Heating is typically produced onsite, making widescale carbon or energetic improvements challenging. District heating networks (DHNs) can offer significant carbon reduction for many users but can only be implemented if the end user buildings have good thermal energy efficiency. This greatly limits the ability to implement advancing 4th and 5th generation DHNs, which are the most advanced systems available. We elucidate the current state of thermal efficiency in buildings in the UK and provide recommendations for necessary building requirements and modifications in order to accommodate 4th and 5th generation district heating. We conclude that key sectors must be addressed including creating a skilled workforce, producing relevant metrics and benchmarks, and providing financial support for early stage design exploration.

Keywords: district heating; low temperature; 5th generation (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 (5)

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