District Energy Combined with Heat Pumps: An Effective Economic Development Tool
Investments in cost-effective district energy/heat pump systems reduce economic leakage, as more dollars are retained in the economy, thereby increasing discretionary income within a city.
Economic development is defined as activity that enhances the economy’s capacity to produce goods and services and create or retain employment opportunities. The economies of countries widely using district energy benefited substantially from the development of the district energy/heat pump (DE/HP) infrastructure. District energy customers experience substantial energy savings along with an improved environment and economic developments. The reduction in energy cost in the cities helps to attract new business and makes it easier for existing customers to remain in business and expand. Moreover, the increase in business profitability and consumer purchasing power, which results from lower energy costs, stimulates business investment and consumer spending and furthers employment growth.