Armstrong In The Media

By Neil Parry, Global Head of District Energy, Armstrong Fluid Technology 

One of the benefits of district energy is that the amalgamation of individual demand cycles smooths out the peaks and troughs associated with low end user numbers. This ‘smoothing’ effect provides a more predictable demand profile with reduced variance that facilitates a greater utilisation of the connected renewable energy sources. District energy schemes therefore will, and should, grow over time. The energy demand is therefore much lower in the early stages of the network. Even on smaller networks, the occupancy level for the first year or so, can be much lower than the expected full occupancy levels. The energy centre therefore will be operating for significant periods at a low output level and energy efficiency will often be at its lowest in the early stages, before the full benefits can be harnessed. This is a problem because, during the early years of the scheme, building confidence and securing buy-in from stakeholders is crucial to the long-term success of the project. So what can be done to optimise energy efficiency while the district energy scheme is being established, and in its early stages of expansion?