El. knyga: District Heating and Cooling in the United States: Prospects and Issues

Used historically in urban areas but now mainly in institutions, district heating and cooling systemsefficient centralized energy systems that may use energy sources other than petroleumhave gained renewed interest. This volume is a nontechnical examination of the history and current extent of district heating and cooling systems in the United States, their costs and benefits, technical requirements, market demand for them, and European experience with such systems, with major focus on the problems of financing, regulation, and taxation. Appendixes provide case studies of cities and towns currently using district heating and cooling systems.

Table of Contents



Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 History and Background 3 The Market for District Heating and Cooling 4 Impediments 5 Leadership, Strategy, and Institutional Arrangements 6 Technology and Product Development 7 Conclusions and Recommendations Appendix A: Case Studies Appendix B: Systems in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore Metropolitan Areas Appendix C: District Heating in Europe Appendix D: Technical Assessment, City of Baltimore District Heating Project References Glossary of Acronyms