Members
Speak Out
District Energy Works:
Spread the word
David W. Wade, PE, President, RDA Engineering Inc.
Editor’s Note: “Members Speak Out” runs
in each issue of District Energy magazine.
Its purpose is for a member to briefly
share his/her district energy experiences
and opinions – and obtain feedback from
fellow members. Please email comments to
David Wade at dww@rdaeng.com.
At this year’s annual conference, attendees were treated to numerous examples of how district
energy is helping create an efficient energy
future. We saw systems using biomass as
an energy source. There were examples
of combined heat and power systems
playing significant roles in increasing
primary energy use efficiency. Geothermal
energy fuels some systems, and others
make use of heat pumps on a large
scale to provide simultaneous heating
and cooling and thermal energy storage.
From my perspective, no better example
of the durability and practical application
of district energy can be found than the
Citizens Thermal system managed by our
incoming chairman, David Toombs.
The Citizens system, one of IDEA’s
oldest members, has quietly supplied
thermal needs in Indianapolis for more
than 100 years. The system burns coal
and natural gas and purchases and dis-
tributes steam from a waste-to-energy
plant located near downtown. It also
produces chilled water for 57 customers
and incorporates backpressure turbines to
make electricity. Even though it is one of
the largest district systems in the United
States, it is a gentle giant that remains
unknown to most of the energy industry.
At this year’s conference, we were
made aware of the Sierra Club’s targeting
of colleges that use coal. Coal is and will
be for several decades an important energy source for our nation. Understanding
that district energy can transport thermal
energy from multiple fuels and energy
sources, including coal burned in an environmentally responsible manner, is part of
transitioning to our energy future. District
energy is the infrastructure component
that supports today’s energy users and
assists in the transition to the fuels and
energy sources of the future.
One disappointing moment at this
year’s annual conference was President
Rob Thornton’s report concerning legislation for district energy that has not
received funding. Every week I read about
demonstration projects going forward in
the wind and solar areas. Like me, I am
sure you follow the many energy industry
newsletters that show up daily by email. I
rarely see any district energy news.
Which brings me to this column’s
point: District energy works. District energy can play a significant role as part of
the energy infrastructure for our nation’s
future. At a time when the federal government is spending billions of dollars on
infrastructure and alternate energy for the
future, district energy should be one of
the technologies receiving funding. We,
the district energy industry, must become
more visible to government policy makers
and energy decision makers.
At a time when the federal
government is spending billions
of dollars on infrastructure and
alternate energy for the future,
district energy should be one
of the technologies receiving
funding.
Through IDEA, we must spread the
word. I suggest we all commit to developing at least one news release or district
energy-friendly article for publication
or release through IDEA. Weekly news
releases from IDEA could be picked up
