ADVANCED REACTORS | DISTRICT ENERGY
for carbon-free district energy
A NuIDEA
Nuclear microreactors are an untapped opportunity for clean and resilient district energy production at universities, hospitals, airports, government facilities, urban networks, and more. How can the industry make that happen?
By Jeremy Shook, EPRI Principal Project Manager
NUCLEAR MICROREACTORS ARE AN UNTAPPED opportunity for clean and resilient district energy production at universities, hospitals, airports, government facilities, urban networks, and more. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is accelerating the use of nuclear energy to decarbonize district energy systems by identifying and solving the biggest remaining challenges. District energy systems centralize thermal energy
production to achieve cost savings and reliability benefits for multiple buildings. Historically used for heating, today’s district energy systems are increasingly being developed for cooling and cogeneration of electricity. This approach increases energy independence and efficiency at universities, hospitals, airports, government facilities, and urban districts. Behind the scenes, 170 kilometers of piping trace a hidden grid beneath Manhattan, where ConEdison’s Steam Business Unit serves 1,800 customer buildings and currently stands as the largest district steam system globally. According to the International District Energy Association (IDEA), there are at least 660 district energy systems in the US, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that in some countries like Denmark and Sweden, district systems already provide the majority of the national heat supply.
According to IEA, district heating accounted for 16 EJ (1.6 x
1019 joules) in 2021 or some 8% of global heat energy, and the market continues to grow. District energy is significantly more space- and energy-efficient than isolated generation, and is also more resilient against outages, attacks, and extreme weather. As the global population continues to urbanize, district energy systems will only become more widespread. Compared to isolated heating, cooling, and electricity
generation, district energy systems simplify building operations and free up valuable floor space. These systems benefit from economies of scale, avoiding capital costs for boilers, chillers, and generators, and the larger the network, the greater the savings. They also reduce labour, repair, and maintenance expenses, and district energy system owner-operators may be eligible to receive tax benefits and rebates from reduced carbon emissions and classification as a utility.
The need for carbon-free district energy Despite the benefits of district energy, one main problem remains: district energy is conventionally generated from carbon-intensive sources, with nearly 90% of district heat produced from fossil fuels, according to the IEA. While
Above: New York has the world’s biggest district heating network 18 | June 2023 |
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