In the upcoming years, district heating is poised to make a significant leap forward by expanding its reach to include more homes, industries, and institutions within its networks. Simultaneously, there is a pressing need for a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions stemming from the heat sources within the infrastructure. This places immense pressure on the industry, which must not only ensure the provision of heat supply to modern societies but also align with the global green transition goals set for 2030. Consequently, the district heating sector requires comprehensive support to meet these challenges head-on.
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Can architecture help change the district heating narrative?
Times are changing. High energy prices and a strong emphasis on the green transition lead to a growing awareness of the public energy and supply structure – and its vital importance. Everyone’s attention is on the utilities: Can you deliver the product that we, as a society, politicians, and local customers, expect? Are you open to discussions about the future energy supply? And what role do you want to play in the local community you are part of? Thomas Enevold from the Danish architectural company Arkikon explains how architecture can support all the parameters of a successful project here.
District Heating Steppingstones – towards a sustainable heat solution
Transitioning a city from, for example, natural gas to green heat sources is a massive undertaking. This article argues that the goal of CO2 neutrality is the only right target. At the same time it demonstrates that this target is reached through a series of stepping stones, each contributing to the goal, with cities gradually reducing the use of fossil fuels over time.
We must be careful not to let the dream of having the perfect system in a few years hinder us from taking important steps in the right direction as early as tomorrow, bringing us to our goal within the set time frame. You will find all the steps in the article by Lars Gullev here.
Scientist Corner asks the question: Sustainable DH – a local vs. (inter)national dilemma?
In France, district heating systems are still struggling to develop and reach ambitious growth objectives. Why is there such a gap between ambitions and realities despite many efforts being put into developing district heating systems? Maybe due to the non-alignment between national policymakers and local project developers. The author, Johanne Ayrault, points out recommendations to foster the development of district heating systems in countries struggling to reach their growth ambitions. The article mainly targets policymakers and other national organizations supporting the development of district heating. It presents the gap between the policy vision of district heating and project development, offering ideas on how to close it. You will find the Scientist Corner here.
Cybersecurity in district heating infrastructures
Over the past decade, the risk of cyber-attacks has moved high on the agenda in most enterprises and organisations. Traditional risks from changing markets, shifting demographics, and new legislation generally happen slowly, so responsible management has the time and opportunity to react and manage the risk. However, cyber-attacks may happen overnight and target systems in unpredictable ways, potentially threatening the organisation’s very existence. There is, therefore, an increasing focus from regulators and the public concerning the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. The EU recently adopted the NIS 2 directive, which sets the baseline for cybersecurity risk management measures and reporting obligations across all sectors covered, including most critical infrastructure. NIS 2 is not an EU regulation, unlike GDPR, but it is a directive defining measures that each member state must implement in national legislation before 17 October 2024.
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