District energy is key to urban growth, says expert

If you wish to create livable cities that attract businesses, residents and visitors, District Energy is essential, as it reduces CO₂ and strengthens energy efficiency. Citing this view by Pernille M Overbye, Managing Director of Ramboll Canada, Danish Board of District Heating (DBDH), in a pre-event news story, summarised Overbye’s speech, which she was to deliver at the Globe Conference in Vancouver. DBDH quoted her as saying, “If your city intends to stay ahead of competition, District Energy is a key enabler.”

Referring to the Danish example, where District Heating has helped spur growth, while at the same time reducing CO₂ emissions, Overbye reportedly pointed out that the country’s GDP is up 40% from 1990, while CO₂ emissions in the same period is down 30%, and over 60% of all households in Denmark are connected to a heat network. She also highlighted that there is no power station without heat off-take – which makes Denmark’s energy production effective.

Overbye, said DBDH, acknowledged that Denmark has built its District Energy system over a period of more than 40 years, with consensus-seeking politicians using long-term planning and a carrot-and-stick-strategy in the tax system, along with other legislation. But she is said to have stressed that lessons can be learnt from Denmark’s energy model, and can be transferred and implemented in energy policy climates less stable than Denmark’s.