District heating in cities as a part of low-carbon energy system

Abstract

In this paper, district heating (DH) scenarios that are sustainable in terms of CO2 emissions and costs are formed and analysed. Three different cases i.e. the Helsinki region, Warsaw and Kaunas, are modelled, and the plans and goal of the cities and the companies supplying DH in the studied regions are reviewed. The aim of this study is to analyse how carbon neutrality could be reached in the studied DH systems by 2050. It was found that increased use of biomass and waste as well as utilization of geothermal and waste heat could be expected in the studied regions in the future. In addition, increasing energy efficiency and lowering heat losses in the DH network is important especially in Warsaw. Carbon capture and storage technologies could also play an important role in reducing emissions in the future but this would increase the heat production costs significantly.