READER'S RESPONSE : DRAFT 1

In the webpage "District heating and cooling systems," ENGIE (2013) illustrates how impactful and effective its sustainable heating and cooling systems have been to the world. As stated, ENGIE successfully provides long-term solutions and comfort for its clients. In addition, ENGIE further demonstrates the backbone of its operations involving numerous technologies applied worldwide relative to the versatile heating and cooling methodology it adopts. Consequently, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and energy bills have decreased. ENGIE states that it utilizes renewable and recyclable energy to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of heating and cooling. To validate its claims, ENGIE further exemplified its contributions by highlighting its projects for different countries and how their systems have accelerated the fight against environmental degradation.

ENGIE has attained success by innovating environmentally friendly district systems. However, the district systems should be more prevalent in every country, considering how the systems could potentially be a key enabler in alleviating global warming.

The district systems have proven beneficial. For heating systems, it fosters the implementation of renewable energy sources. Without this system, losses by energy conversion can occur. In Europe, more than a quarter of the primary energy mass turned into losses due to electricity generation in condensing electric power plants. (Henning and Gebremedhim, 2012) Thus, district heating can counter the losses by utilizing them instead. One example would be the Saint-Denis biomass heating plant in Paris which differs energy poverty by using mainly renewable sources for its heating network. Biomass utilization has resulted in a significant decrease in annual C02 emissions (ENGIE,2017). This example illustrates how district heating systems can maximize energy losses by recycling instead of wasting them. This system reduces reliance on imported fuels and discards greenhouse gas emissions from coal, oil, and natural gas, which benefits the environment to a large degree. Thus, the decrease of greenhouse gases has improved air quality which accelerates our fight against global warming.

Similarly, district cooling systems secrete lesser C02 as compared to conventional ones. In Singapore, removing forests to expand the city has increased temperature by about 0.25°C per decade (MSS, 2019). Rapid urbanization can further aggravate this issue if global carbon emissions continue rising. Thus, with district cooling, Singapore can accelerate its progress towards sustainable cooling strategies. Distributed District Cooling (DDC) is a novel way experimented in Tampines Central, Singapore, under the town's eco-initiatives. Instead of incorporating a new design development, DDC uses appointed buildings to churn out chilled water for their cooling necessities and the buildings within the precinct. According to SPgroup, the DDC network could reduce energy consumption by 17% and carbon emissions by 18%. Hence, the installation of district cooling is not limited to new developments and can be implemented in existing facilities, rendering it practical and versatile, making it conducive for adoption and effective against environmental pollution and global warming. 

Since their existence, the district systems have emanated positive results; however, the lack of awareness and appreciation towards them persists in some countries. In the United States, one of the reasons why the systems are not ubiquitous is due to negligence in their energy policy. According to HPAC Engineering, the energy policy is unripe. The appeal to invest in efficiency measures and conserve is not enticing due to the lack of incentive, considering that energy and fuel costs are relatively inexpensive (Steve Tendinnick, 2013). Similarly, in Malaysia, the Chief executive of IDRA claims that there is no specific body to regulate the development of district systems. The initial capital expenditure to facilitate the development of the systems are excruciatingly high as well. Governments are deterred from implementing district systems due to the lack of incentives, empowerment, and increased manufacturing costs. This mishap accrues inconsistency in sustainable efforts worldwide, which aggravates global warming. 

While there is a hindrance to the development of district systems in the countries mentioned earlier, the respective governing bodies are not neglecting this implementation. In Iskandar, Malaysia, planning guidelines for district cooling will apply to the district once formulated. They will be the foundation of future developments for other regions in the country. (District Energy Initiative, 2018). In the United States, the government has shown support for the district energy industry by making funds available for studying and implementing Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHP). Thus, this indicates that governments recognize the significance of district systems and how this adoption is inevitable. In this battle against global warming, the development of the systems may be slow, but increased recognition is better than stagnancy as it shows progress. 

Therefore, key players such as ENGIE must expand their reach to influence key personnel to perpetuate this sustainable effort. With greater involvement and adherence in implementing district systems, our world would be one step closer to alleviating global warming.


References

District Energy in Cities Initiative. (2018, March 19). Initiative Updates – KEEPING IT COOL: MALAYSIA LOOKS TO DISTRICT ENERGY SYSTEMS. [Webpage]

http://www.districtenergyinitiative.org/keeping-it-cool-malaysia-looks-district-energy-systems

 

ENGIE. (2017, July 04). Inauguration of the biomass boiler unit of Saint-Denis, the 2nd largest district heating network of Ll-de- France. ENGIE.

https://www.engie.com/en/journalists/press-releases/inauguration-of-the-biomass-boiler-unit-of-saint-denis-the-2nd-largest-district-heating-network-of-ile-de-france

 

ENGIE. (2013, Feb 11). District heating and cooling systems. ENGIE

https://www.engie.com/en/businesses/district-heating-cooling-systems

 

Henning and Gebremedhin. (2012, February 28). District Heating and Cooling Enable Efficient Energy Resource Utilisation [Open Access peer-reviewed chapter].

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/41549

 

SPGroup. (2021, August n.d). Temasek Ecosperity – Taking the heat off cooling: A greener way to cool. [Whitepaper].

https://www.spgroup.com.sg/sustainable-energy-solutions/our-low-carbon-solutions/cooling-and-heating

 

Tredennick. (2013, June 07). Syska Hennesy Group; Why is district energy not more prevalent in the U.S.?. HPAC Engineering.

https://www.hpac.com/heating/article/20927208/why-is-district-energy-not-more-prevalent-in-the-us

 

Werner. (2017, October 15). International review of district heating and cooling. Science Direct.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054421730614X?via%3Dihub#bib129

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