District heating

District heating is a way of heating water that will then be transported through pipelines to heat up houses. If district heating is based on renewable energy sources it's positive for the environment

How does it work?

District heating is all about heating water. You need a type of energy source to do this. This energy source can be fossil fuels, biomass or renewable energy resources like solar heat. This is then used to warm up a tank of water to around 90-95 celsius degrees. This water is then transported through isolated steel pipes to the houses where the water is then about 40-50 degrees. In the houses it's used for for example heating tap water and in-the-floor heating. When the water gets cold it's transported back to the tank through steel pipes so that the water can be heated all over again.

Is it environmentally friendly?

District Heating can be an environmentally friendly way to heat up houses, but it can also be harmfull to the environment. It all lays in the resources that are used to heat up the water. If you use fossil fuels like coal it's obviously not environmentally friendly because of the CO2 released in the process. Some types of biomass can also be harmfull, like wood chips and firewood. Their's two reasons for this. One reason is that the wood often comes from other countries and the transportation of the wood in its self is harmfull. Another reason is that the burning of wood releases climate gasses like CO2, this is alright if we take as much as we grow, because then it's a part of photosynthesis. If we however take more it's harmfull for the environment. Luckily, there are other types of biomass. One form of biomass is food waste. If the water is heated up with the local food waste it's environmentally friendly and you can use the food to its full potential. Other types of renewable energy resources also works, like solar heating for example. Today mostly renewable energy sources and biomass is used in the heating process.

the Pros

  • Resources like food waste can be used to its full potential
  • by using biomass and renewable energy it helps to reduce climate gass emissions
  • Reduces local emissions
  • District heating can replace oil, gass and electricity for heating
  • Well developed and easy technology

the Cons

  • Harmfull to the environment if you use fossil fuels or too much biomass like wood for the heating process
  • Calls for long-term investment and government policys
  • Not as effective in low density areas

In the future

  • Already a well working district heating system in Oslo that uses food waste as a heating source
  • Already higher demands to lower carbon footprints so possibly it will become more standard
  • Perhaps possible to further optimize the technology

Is it beneficial?

District heating is an easy and well developed technology that can be an environmentally friendly way to heat up a district as long as you use the right materials. While it needs some policies and funding it is definitely a secure system and a possible way to use food waste to its fullest. This system is to be recommended over private systems that often relay on natural gasses and oil for a more eco-friendly planet.