Large-scale cogeneration/district heating studies for the Minneapolis--St. Paul area

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6654243

Karnitz, M. A.; Rubin, A. M.

The Department of Energy, Minnesota Energy Agency, Northern States Power Company, and other local government and private organizations are cooperatively performing an in-depth application study to determine the feasibility of district heating for a large northern U.S. city. Over 90% of the space and water heating requirements in the United States are currently supplied by oil and gas. Hence, district heating can potentially replace large quantities of scarce or imported fuels with coal or nuclear resources. In addition, district heating, using a cogeneration power plant, substantially increases the fuel utilization efficiency when compared to an electric only plant. A Swedish firm, AB Atomenergi, is performing a preliminary economic and technical assessment. The analysis uses current Swedish district heating technology and experience, and adapts it, where necessary, to U.S. conditions. Preliminary Swedish results indicate favorable economics for a large system, which includes residential areas, when technology innovations such as temperature resistant plastic piping are used. For conventional piping technology the economics appear favorable for the commercial areas of the city core.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Department of Energy, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6654243
• Report Number(s): CONF-780801-35
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
CO-GENERATION
DEUS
DISTRICT HEATING
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GREAT LAKES REGION
HEATING
MINNESOTA
NORTH AMERICA
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
STEAM GENERATION
USA