Abstract
The installation of district heating (DH) systems constitutes an advantage from the energetic, climate, and air quality aspects. However, the configuration and operational features of a DH system affect significantly its environmental performance. The objective of the present study is the energetic and environmental assessment of DH networks that present differences in size and operating configurations, to define relevant environmental performance indicators. Three case studies in Italy are analyzed, following a methodology based on the impact pathway approach that was presented by the authors in previous studies. Case studies are evaluated in terms of total emission, pollutant concentration (NOx, CO, PM), and health damage external costs. Results show that lower pollutant emissions are associated with the installation of a DH system compared to autonomous residential boilers. Air quality is also improved and health externalities are reduced. The results of CO2 savings are differentiated depending on the efficiency and emission factors of the systems. An inter-comparison of different cases is then presented, based on the elaboration of specific indicators of environmental and health impacts. This section shows that, besides the size of the DH system, other factors, such as population density and geographical distribution of pollutants concentration, are important. Among the indicators considered, those based on health externalities provide more complete and comparable information on the final impact of the alternative solutions on the exposed population. Their application seems thus promising for the evaluation of alternative planning strategies for DH systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- CHP:
-
Combined heat and power
- CO:
-
Carbon monoxide
- CO2eq :
-
Equivalent carbon dioxide
- CRF:
-
Concentration–response function
- DH:
-
District heating
- EF:
-
Emission factor
- GHG:
-
Greenhouse gas
- IPA:
-
Impact pathway approach
- MSW:
-
Municipal solid waste
- NOx :
-
Nitrous oxides
- PBL:
-
Planetary boundary layer
- PM:
-
Particulate matter
- TSP:
-
Total suspended particulate
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
References
Andrić I, Pina A, Ferrão P, Lacarrière B, Le Corre O (2017) On the performance of district heating systems in urban environment: an emergy approach. J Clean Prod 142:109–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.124
Aria Technologies (n.d.) Company website. http://www.aria.fr/. Accessed 2.6.20
Arianet (n.d.) Company website. http://www.aria-net.it/. Accessed 2.6.20
Bach B, Werling J, Ommen T, Münster M, Morales JM, Elmegaard B (2016) Integration of large-scale heat pumps in the district heating systems of Greater Copenhagen. Energy 107:321–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.029
Calise F, Costa M, Wang Q, Zhang X, Duić N (2018) Recent advances in the analysis of sustainable energy systems. Energies 11:2520. https://doi.org/10.3390/en11102520
Chang M-CO, Chow JC, Watson JG, Hopke PK, Yi S-M, England GC (2004) Measurement of ultrafine particle size distributions from coal-, oil-, and gas-fired stationary combustion sources. J Air Waste Manage Assoc 54:1494–1505. https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.2004.10471010
Doračić B, Novosel T, Pukšec T, Duić N (2018) Evaluation of excess heat utilization in district heating systems by implementing levelized cost of excess heat. Energies 11:575. https://doi.org/10.3390/en11030575
Emilia Romagna Region (n.d.) Regional geographic database. https://geoportale.regione.emilia-romagna.it/it. Accessed 2.6.20
Emilia Romagna Region Environmental Protection Agency n.d. https://www.arpae.it/. in Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
European Council, 2020. The clean air package: improving Europe’s air quality. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/clean-air/. Accessed 3.24.20
European Environmental Agency, 2018. Air quality in Europe — 2018 report. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2019. Accessed 2.6.20
European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, European Environmental Agency (2019) Emission factor database. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/emep-eea-guidebook-2019/emission-factors-database. Accessed 2.6.20
Fracastoro GV, Serraino M (2011) A methodology for assessing the energy performance of large scale building stocks and possible applications. Energ Buildings 43:844–852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.12.004
Genon G, Torchio MF, Poggio A, Poggio M (2009) Energy and environmental assessment of small district heating systems: global and local effects in two case-studies. Energ Convers Manage 50:522–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2008.11.010
Guelpa E, Bischi A, Verda V, Chertkov M, Lund H (2019) Towards future infrastructures for sustainable multi-energy systems: a review. Energy 184:2–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.057
Institut Wohnen und Umwelt GmbH (2016) Tabula web tool. https://episcope.eu/building-typology/tabula-webtool/. Accessed 3.24.20
Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (2019) Greenhouse gas emission factors in the national electricity sector and in major European countries. URL http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/files2019/pubblicazioni/rapporti/R_303_19_gas_serra_settore_elettrico.pdf. In Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Italian Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Environment (2017) National Energy Strategy. https://www.mise.gov.it/images/stories/documenti/Testo-integrale-SEN-2017.pdf. Accessed 3.24.20
Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) (2011) 15th population and housing census. https://www.istat.it/it/censimenti-permanenti/censimenti-precedenti/popolazione-e-abitazioni/popolazione-2011. Accessed 3.24.20
Italian organization for standardization (UNI) (2008) UNI/TS 11300–1:2008. Energy performance of buildings - Part 1: evaluation of energy need for space heating and cooling
Italian organization for standardization (UNI) (2017) Standard EN 16147:2017. Heat pumps with electrically driven compressors-testing, Performance Rating and Requirements for Marking of Domestic Hot Water Units. http://bit.ly/2Ecra14. Accessed 2.6.20
Jarre M, Noussan M, Poggio A (2016) Operational analysis of natural gas combined cycle CHP plants: energy performance and pollutant emissions. Appl Therm Eng 100:304–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.02.040
Lund H, Möller B, Mathiesen BV, Dyrelund A (2010) The role of district heating in future renewable energy systems. Energy 35:1381–1390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2009.11.023
Lund H, Østergaard PA, Chang M, Werner S, Svendsen S, Sorknæs P, Thorsen JE, Hvelplund F, Mortensen BOG, Mathiesen BV, Bojesen C, Duic N, Zhang X, Möller B (2018) The status of 4th generation district heating: research and results. Energy 164:147–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.08.206
Mathworks Inc. (2019) Matlab software. https://it.mathworks.com/. Accessed 2.6.20
Mazhar AR, Liu S, Shukla A (2018) A state of art review on the district heating systems. Renew Sust Energ Rev 96:420–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.08.005
McKenna R, Merkel E, Fehrenbach D, Mehne S, Fichtner W (2013) Energy efficiency in the German residential sector: a bottom-up building-stock-model-based analysis in the context of energy-political targets. Build Environ 62:77–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2013.01.002
Noussan M (2018) Performance indicators of district heating systems in Italy – insights from a data analysis. Appl Therm Eng 134:194–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.01.125
Noussan M, Cerino Abdin G, Poggio A, Roberto R (2014) Biomass-fired CHP and heat storage system simulations in existing district heating systems. Appl Therm Eng 71:729–735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2013.11.021
Olsson L, Wetterlund E, Söderström M (2015) Assessing the climate impact of district heating systems with combined heat and power production and industrial excess heat. Resour Conserv Recy 96:31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.01.006
Piedmont Region (2009) Decree of the Regional Council of 4 August 2009, no. 46–11968. Update of the Regional Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of Air Quality - draft plan for environmental heating and conditioning and implementing provisions on energy performance in construction pursuant to Article 21, paragraph 1, letters a) b) q) of Regional Law 28 May 2007. http://www.regione.piemonte.it/governo/bollettino/abbonati/2009/31/suppo4/00000003.htm. in Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Piedmont Region (2013) Regional emission inventory. http://www.sistemapiemonte.it/fedwinemar/elenco.jsp. in Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Piedmont Region (2018) Energy and envionmental plan. https://www.regione.piemonte.it/web/sites/default/files/media/documenti/2018-11/1_pear.pdf. Accessed 3.24.20
Piedmont Region (n.d.) Regional geographic database. http://www.geoportale.piemonte.it/cms/. In Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Piedmont Region Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.) http://www.arpa.piemonte.it/. In Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Piedmont Regional Environmental Agency (2007) Wind in Piedmont region. Series on climate studies in Piedmont 5 (In Italian)
Quantum GIS (2020) QGIS software. https://www.qgis.org/it/site/about/index.html. Accessed 2.6.20
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti MC, Genon G (2017) Environmental analysis of a potential district heating network powered by a large-scale cogeneration plant. Environ Sci Pollut R 24:13424–13436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8863-2
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti M (2018a) District heating system: evaluation of environmental and economic aspects. Int J EI 1:420–432. https://doi.org/10.2495/EI-V1-N4-420-432
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti MC (2018b) DIDEM - an integrated model for comparative health damage costs calculation of air pollution. Atmos Environ 173:81–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.11.010
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti MC, (2018c) A dispersion and externalities model supporting energy system planning: development and case study. Presented at the Air Pollution 2018, Naples, Italy, pp 153–164. https://doi.org/10.2495/AIR180141
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti M (2019) Air quality planning and the minimization of negative externalities. Resources 8:15. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources8010015
Ravina M, Panepinto D, Zanetti MC (2020a) Development of the DIDEM model: comparative evaluation of CALPUFF and SPRAY dispersion models. Int J EI 3:1–18. https://doi.org/10.2495/EI-V3-N1-1-18
Ravina M, Gamberini C, Casasso A, Panepinto D (2020b) Environmental and health impacts of domestic hot water (DHW) boilers in urban areas: a case study from Turin, NW Italy. IJERPH 17:595. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020595
Reggio Emilia Municipality (2011) Action Plan for Sustainable Energy. https://www.comune.re.it/retecivica/urp/retecivi.nsf/PESIdDoc/1E7E8648538AF4FDC125788E0047617C/$file/Piano/d'azione_Energia/Sostenibile.pdf. In Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
Rezaie B, Rosen MA (2012) District heating and cooling: review of technology and potential enhancements. Appl Energ 93:2–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.04.020
Sayegh MA, Danielewicz J, Nannou T, Miniewicz M, Jadwiszczak P, Piekarska K, Jouhara H (2017) Trends of European research and development in district heating technologies. Renew Sust Energ Rev 68:1183–1192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.02.023
Tester JW, Reber TJ, Beckers KF, Lukawski MZ (2016) Deep geothermal energy for district heating. In: Advanced district heating and cooling (DHC) systems. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 75–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-78242-374-4.00004-5
Thorsen JE, Lund H, Mathiesen BV (2018) Progression of district heating – 1st to 4th generation [WWW document]. https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/280710833/1_4GDH_progression_revised_May2018.pdf.Accessed 3.23.20
Tian Z, Zhang S, Deng J, Fan J, Huang J, Kong W, Perers B, Furbo S (2019) Large-scale solar district heating plants in Danish smart thermal grid: developments and recent trends. Energy Convers Manag 189:67–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2019.03.071
Tinarelli G, Anfossi D, Brusasca G, Ferrero E, Giostra U, Morselli MG, Moussafir J, Tampieri F, Trombetti F (1994) Lagrangian particle simulation of tracer dispersion in the lee of a schematic two-dimensional hill. J Appl Meteorol 33:744–756
Tinarelli G, Anfossi D, Trini Castelli S, Bider M, Ferrero E (2000) A new high performance version of the Lagrangian particle dispersion model spray, some case studies. In: Gryning S-E, Batchvarova E (eds) Air pollution modeling and its application XIII. Springer US, Boston, pp 499–507. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4153-0_51
Turin Metropolis (2015) Action plan for sustainable energy. http://www.cittametropolitana.Turin.it/cms/risorse/ambiente/dwd/ris-energetiche/progetti/patto_dei_sindaci/come_aderire/Metodologia_CoM_CM_di_Turin.pdf. in Italian, Accessed 2.6.20
United Nations Environment Programme (2020) District energy in cities initiative [WWW document]. http://www.districtenergyinitiative.org/. Accessed 3.24.20
van der Kamp J, Bachmann TM (2015) Health-related external cost assessment in Europe: methodological developments from ExternE to the 2013 clean air policy package. Environ Sci Technol 49:2929–2938. https://doi.org/10.1021/es5054607
Werner S (2017) International review of district heating and cooling. Energy 137:617–631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.04.045
WHO (2013) Health risks of air pollution in Europe – HRAPIE project. Recommendations for concentration–response functions for cost–benefit analysis of particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. http://bit.ly/2YNPrnS. Accessed 12.12.19
Acknowledgments
The authors kindly acknowledge IREN ENERGIA S.p.A., the Environmental Protection Agency of Piemonte Region (ARPA Piemonte), and the Environmental Protection Agency of Emilia Romagna Region (ARPAE) for the data provided.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ravina, M., Panepinto, D. & Zanetti, M. District heating networks: an inter-comparison of environmental indicators. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 33809–33827 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08734-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08734-z