Sustainable Energy And District Heating

coin

Hi,
This is my first post on here on boards.ie. I tried a search on the above topic of discussion, but alas to no avail.
The background, is that I'm currently writing a dissertation on the use of sustainable energy for district heating here in Ireland, focusing on geothermal and biomass systems.A few examples are at Belvedere in Westmeath and the Rath Oraigh development in Tralee.
My main questions to those out there with more experience and knowledge concern the following;
1. What are the main barriers to implementation of these systems on a more widespread basis in this country?
2. What technological barriers exist in your opinion?
3. Would I be correct in assuming that economies of scale is the chief problem to overcome with these 'group schemes'?

Thank you for your time, I'd be grateful for any replies to my request.

Lennoxschips

scroll down two or three topics

coin

Thanks for the reply. I have read though that thread and there are some interesting issues, but it doesn't really fit the exact kind of information I was searching for
Unfortunately, I didn't really clarify in my original post. I'm trying to concentrate on the concept of district heating.
For example, the heating of ten houses in a group scheme from a single wood chip burner.

silverharp

I'd say it is more cultural. In Europe it is common for apartment blocks to have one heating system with shared bills.
Logic would say that if a new estate was going up that a single system would be better then individual boilers in each house, however this is beyond the thinking of planners and there is no incentive to change on the part of the builders and developers.

Musha

Just back from Poland and the whole city has district hot water for domestic and space heating use, speaking with some business partners over there and they where suprised that we all have boilers in our own homes they are metered on hot and cold water and pay per usage with very little problems, I think that there are 3/4 generators around the city to service everyone. So maybe you should start to look at the old easteren bloc for idears:)

coin

Musha, Silverharp;
Appreciate the input greatly.
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head as to what I'm researching. I've being studying the former Eastern Bloc countries closely, especially the Polish scenario.I believe that their system has unfortunately deteriorated regarding the loss of heat in the distribution pipe network.I guess maintenance is a vital factor.
With reference to the perceived lack of foresight of developers and planners, I guess they can't really see the profit margins existing for them in such investments.Perhaps local authorities should be more proactive in their approach to sustainabilty/district heating.

As an aside, on a survey I carried out recently, on a random sample of the public. A full 100% answered that they would have no problem purchasing a house in a development with district heating.

Capt'n Midnight

What was the sample size ?


one big problem is the sheer size of the pipes, which means you must be near the CHP site.

In England and Wales any new gas boilers must be of the condensing type. More efficient boilers in the home means lower savings from a district system.

As long as it's waste heat fine, but generating on demand for a housing estate probably isn't the best idea.

And let's not forget Ballymun, pipes sealed into the walls with only one thermostat, back at the site, in summer every window was open and tropical fish wern't a problem in winter because it was always hot.

coin

Unfortunately it was just a small survey that I carried out, size was 100.

Musha

I heard of a development in Wexford where they had installed a WPB for all the houses but the residents where putting everything in to it to burn and caused major problems and it had to be removed (possibly urban myth) anyway development of the site and management would have to be the key Building management for apt block to maintain and feed the appliance would have to be foremost.