The International District Energy Association (IDEA) and the German Energy Efficiency Association for District Heating, Cooling and CHP, Germany (AGFW) Sign Memorandum of Understanding
2024年7月2日 - 2:56AM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
International agreement Includes joint
development of standardized global technical guidelines and
operational best practices and collaboration on outreach and
advocacy
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) and the
German Energy Efficiency Association for District Heating, Cooling
and CHP, Germany (AGFW) announced the signing of renewal of a
memorandum of understanding (MOU), updating and extending a
previous agreement.
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Rob Thornton, President and CEO of the
International District Energy Association (IDEA) and Werner Lutsch,
CEO & Managing Director, of the German Energy Efficiency
Association for District Heating, Cooling and CHP, Germany (AGFW)
Sign Memorandum of Understanding (Photo: Business Wire)
The agreement will extend the term for another five years and
strengthen the ties between the two district energy industry
organizations for international collaboration on technical
guidelines, operational best practices and outreach and
advocacy.
Both IDEA and AGFW are actively engaged in education, advocacy,
promotion and training in best practices in the district energy
sector, and this agreement will strengthen collaboration between
the two organizations. It will also help streamline efforts to grow
the industry and ensure that people around the world, and policy
makers and government officials, in particular, recognize district
energy’s importance to the energy transition as a means to increase
energy efficiency, reduce harmful emissions, and strengthen local
economies through utilization of local, low carbon, and renewable
energy sources.
“District energy is a modern, reliable, efficient and proven
approach to provide critical heating, cooling and power to people
in cities, communities and campuses, all around the world,” said
Rob Thornton, President & CEO, IDEA. “Using economies of scale,
it can be easier and faster to modernize and de-carbonize a central
plant to deliver lower-carbon heating and cooling to a vast
connected network of buildings, rather than upgrade HVAC systems
one single building at a time. District energy networks have the
unique ability to aggregate low carbon heating, cooling and power
for dozens, or even hundreds, of structures – and can accelerate
decarbonizing of central business districts, entire neighborhoods,
college and university campuses, hospital complexes or military
installations.”
Germany is a global leader in recognizing the advantages and
benefits of district energy and has adopted policies and strategies
that feature deploying the technology in plans to reach its
net-zero goals. In fact, in 2023, the German government said it
planned to connect 100,000 buildings per year to district heating
networks, as part of its climate action plan. The 2023 Heat
Planning Act will further mobilize cities and towns to designate
heat supply areas, outlining which type of heat supply is
particularly suitable for the various parts of a municipality along
with analysis of the potential future heat supply from renewable
sources or recovery of surplus heat from industry.
“District energy is a technology that is key for cities to make
their goals of becoming climate neutral a reality,” said Werner
Lutsch, CEO & Managing Director, AGFW. “We applaud the German
government’s plan to connect 100,000 buildings to district energy
systems annually, and the technology could be utilized further to
help decarbonize nearly half of Germany’s approximately 43 million
households, especially when connected to apartment buildings and
other buildings in densely populated city centers.”
The MOU was signed at the 115th Annual Conference & Trade
Show for IDEA in Orlando, FL.
About IDEA
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) is a
501(c)(6) nonprofit industry association founded in the United
States in 1909. IDEA now has a membership of nearly 3,000 industry
professionals representing more than 30 countries around the world.
IDEA’s mission is to actively foster the success of its members as
leaders in providing reliable, economical, efficient and
environmentally sound district heating, district cooling and
combined heat and power to optimize energy efficiency, emissions
reductions and sustainable solutions for mission-critical and
community-scale markets.
About AGFW
AGFW is the independent efficiency association that for the past
50 years has supported the development and expansion of district
energy and combined heat and power (CHP) in Germany, Austria and
Switzerland using renewable energies for heating as well as
district heating networks. Its more than 700 members are operators
of district energy and CHP plants, as well as service companies and
technology companies in the field. AGFW represents approximately
95% of the heat load connected to German district heating systems –
the largest scale in Western Europe.
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Christine Williamson International District Energy Association
cwilliamson@greenoughagency.com 617-275-6528