District heating and cooling: an implementation technology for the 21st century.

The IEA's Committee on District Heating, Cooling and Combined Heat and Power has been concerned that the integrative technology of district heating and cooling is being overlooked by decision makers in both the IBA, the EU Commission and by the United States DOE. There are myths and misconceptions based, in part, on poorly maintained systems in the Central and Eastern European countries that cloud the real fact that, where based on waste heat utilization these systems are more efficient than the direct use of natural gas. District Heating and Cooling consist of pipe networks that enable other technologies such as combined heat and power to realise its potential by recycling or reusing waste heat. The concept of using a pipe network to also distribute cooling services is being implemented in many countries. This means that district heating is no longer of importance to only northern latitude countries. This policy paper and its companion background paper have been produced by the Committee in order to encourage policy makers to consider the important role district heating can play in assisting countries to meet their Kyoto targets.