District Energy - 2009 2nd Quarter

Industry
News

ecologists, engineers, forest conservationists and energy specialists. The experts concluded that, thanks to improved pollution-control and efficiency technologies, small-scale power plants fueled partly or solely by advanced wood combustion (AWC) could be a source of clean, affordable energy for communities, campuses and commercial and industrial complexes, especially in the heavily wooded areas of the Northeast, Southeast and West.

According to Richter, these facilities release low quantities of air pollutants, have systemwide thermal efficiencies approaching 90 percent and recycle money back into the local economy by creating new green technology jobs, providing new income sources to local farmers and forest landowners, and even adding value to local forests.

The authors note that community-based AWC has long been a key fuel source in Scandinavia and is now widely used in France, Germany and central and eastern Europe. Some of these communities have combined AWC with solar, wind and biomass energy and export surplus energy back to their national power grids.

In the article, Richter and co-authors offer three recommendations for igniting increased AWC use in the U.S.: ( 1) Make AWC the energy system of choice for new

construction and renovation in areas with sustainable wood supplies. ( 2) Make better use of waste wood collected by municipalities, such as diseased and storm-damaged trees and woody debris from construction sites. ( 3) Expand the use of district energy systems powered by wood, such as those used in downtown St. Paul, Minn.; at hospitals and public buildings in Akron, Ohio; and on campuses such as Colgate University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Idaho.

Richter says that policy makers must recognize AWC as an energy source that is largely carbon-neutral and does not add to greenhouse gas emissions. He explains that growing, harvesting and processing the wood releases comparatively small amounts of fossil greenhouse gases, compared with the amount of carbon stored in the wood. And burning the wood recycles carbon dioxide that is already in the biosphere, in contrast to coal, heating oil or natural gas, whose combustion adds more CO to the biosphere.

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Euroheat & Power’s
Marketing Database

Euroheat & Power is building a marketing database for use by district heating and cooling companies as well as for marketing

and public relations professionals to help them promote the industry. On its Web site, at www.euroheat.org/MarketingHome.htm, Euroheat & Power invites visitors to share examples of marketing ideas, lessons and success stories. Currently the site features 10 case studies detailing effective district energy marketing campaigns and approaches from countries across Europe.

Boise Geothermal
Project Gets Funding

Boise, Idaho, Mayor David Bieter and Boise State University President Bob Kustra announced March 16 the successful funding of phase one of a project to extend the city’s current geothermal system to Boise State University. Part of the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill signed March 11 by President Obama, the project is expected to create or preserve more than 20 jobs over a six- to eight-month period.

The $2,065,000 appropriation comes as a result of efforts by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, who secured more than $1.4 million through the U.S. Department of Energy and Sen. Mike Carpo, R-Idaho, who secured $665,000 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the project.

Accessing IDEA Resources

District Energy Magazine – Please contact Dina Gadon, IDEA, (508) 366-9339,

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