DISTRICT HEATING

The Danish district heating plants are an important part of the energy solutions of the future. In a cheap and environment friendly way 60 % of the Danish population is supplied with heat. The district heating is possibly the greatest Danish contribution for a clean environment and energy savings, because it is based on:
• Burning of waste• Industrial surplus heat• Geothermal heat• Production of electricity• Solar energy• Heat production on bio fuels• Heat production on fossil fuels• Wind energy
District heating is often based on renewable energy and thereby reduce the need for polluting, fossil fuels which is a great strength for the Danish economy and environment.
District heating is mostly based on surplus heat from power plants and industry. Whether waste is burned, electricity produced iron melted or metal developed in the industry there is at the same time heat produced which the district heating company can use to heat water with.
If the district heating plants did not use this surplus heat it would just disappear for no good. When a power plant is producing electricity only about 40 % of the energy in the fuel is being used, but by producing electricity and district heating at the same time as much as 90 % of the energy is being used.
In 2006 42 % of the district heating in Denmark consisted of CO2 neutral fuels – a share that is growing year by year.
Hot water between 75 and 90 degrees is distributed insulated pipes below the ground to heat the radiators in the houses; after it is cooled it runs back to the district heating plants to get heated up again.
District heating is an ecological benefit, but it is also an economical advantage. In 2006 the average cost was 13.850 DKK to heat a house 130 m2 with district heating compared to 21.300 DKK to heat the same house with oil. This difference is increasing due to the rising oil prices.
The district plants are working for