Latest UKDEA & District Energy News
14:25 - 16th February 2012
International District Energy Associations’ (IDEA) 25th Annual Campus Energy Conference Highlights increased Reliability of District Energy Systems
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) presented its 25th Annual Campus Energy Conference, “Innovations in Clean Energy”, in Arlington, VA on February 6-9, 2012. More than 650 registrants attended panels, technical presentations, workshops and an exhibit hall featuring 85 leading companies. District energy systems, as vital energy infrastructure in most major U.S. cities and institutions, were the central focus of the conference, attracting participants from leading colleges and universities operating highly efficient district energy and combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
The Opening Plenary Panel featured discussion on the reliability, efficiency and cost benefits of state-of-the-art district energy and CHP systems. Another conference panel focused on Military Bases, Microgrids and Managing Sustainability. Presentations from the conference are available on the IDEA website.
The panelists noted the significant reliability advantages of district energy and CHP systems during unexpected events and natural disasters. The severe drought in Texas during the summer of 2011 drove electricity prices to reach record levels, but TECO was able to provide electricity and cooling to its customers at the Texas Medical Centre at normal rates as a result of their 48 MW CHP and district energy system. TECO CEO Steve Swinson stated,
“Because of the heat and the drought, the Texas electrical grid was extremely stressed, from a generation perspective and a transmission perspective. Having CHP allowed us to remain reliable.”
Tom Nyquist of Princeton University also stressed the reliability benefits of district energy, noting,
“There have been times when tropical storms come through and the only lights on in town are on campus. Having CHP and district energy allows us to ride through storms without interruption.”
The second panel stressed that reliable energy supplies for military installations were critical to the nation’s security. The reliability benefits highlighted by campus and governmental members of the plenary panel were agreed to be even more valuable to critical military operations, and district energy and CHP systems support continued critical base operations in the event of electricity supply disruptions.
