Due to the threat of global warming as well as international commitments to the Paris Accord on climate change, municipalities and regions using district heating in Europe and North America are tasked with significantly reducing their environmental footprint in record time. With district heating, towns or large areas typically receive heat and hot water, distributed to commercial, residential, or public buildings, at greater economies of scale than individual heating systems.
In response, last year the 27-nation European Union (EU) agreed to cut greenhouse gas carbon emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. According to a recent report that has tracked the EU's power sector since 2015, renewables surpassed fossil fuels last year (38% to 37%), indicating that municipalities relying on district heating are already pivoting away from often inefficient, outdated equipment that produces excess carbon emissions.