Page 9 - Stockholm-Exergi-2021-in-brief

THE ROLE OF DISTRICT HEATING

District heating is a platform for
many societal benefits

The climate challenge cuts right through society and every
sector of the economy is working to contribute in its own
way to achieving climate goals. But it is becoming increasingly
clear that we need to find solutions together: we need col-
laboration between sectors and systems that reach across
society. And collaboration is what district heating is all about.

District heating is already the ideal platform to are two examples of how co-operation between
start from when building many of the smart solu- different systems – wastewater treatment and
tions that a city needs to develop sustainably. In IT combined with district heating – enables us
simple terms, we can say that Stockholm Exergi to utilise energy from other sectors.
produces heat and electricity from materials that
would otherwise be thrown away. And in this Separation of carbon dioxide. By capturing
way, we’re enabling and connecting a variety of residues from forests and producing heat and
societal benefits. electricity, we are able to create a completely
new industry area: negative emissions with
Waste. We manage and treat residual waste from BECCS. This is the energy sector collaborating
which we produce heat and electricity. This is with the forestry sector to enable significant
where the energy sector connects with the waste climate benefits.
sector as we take care of society’s residual waste
and remove substances from the circular system In all the benefits described here, co-operation
that should not be returned to it. Throughout the between different sectors and different systems
year, and together with key players in the waste is necessary. The benefits to society will thus
sector, we increased co-operation and improved be greater and the conditions for achieving our
conditions for even better collaboration on climate goals will be better than if each system
circular solutions. had tried to develop solutions in isolation.

Electricity. By using district heating to heat Collaboration is a sign of the times. And in
Stockholm, electricity can be used for other pur- 2021, Stockholm Exergi saw that more people
poses and pressure on the over-burdened elec- wanted to collaborate, more people wanted
tricity grid can be eased. We can also produce to turn words into action, more people
electricity – a key advantage given the limited wanted to increase understanding of where
capacity of Stockholm grids. The electricity we emissions come from and more people want-
produce locally then becomes of considerable ed to take initiatives to find solutions that will
valuable. The ability to co-ordinate the heating make our society sustainable.
system with the electricity system is a major
advantage for Stockholm’s electricity supply. Stockholm Exergi’s district heating system is key
to several of the solutions required for a sus-
Waste heat. Heat contained in Stockholm’s treated tainable Stockholm.
wastewater and excess heat from data centres

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