Decarbonizing buildings and industry is crucial for reducing global energy consumption, predominantly in the form of heat. Thermal energy storage plays a significant role in this process by reducing reliance on electrical energy and batteries. Thermal energy networks that connect multiple buildings into a shared energy network can significantly reduce electrical demand and consumption.

Wastewater energy transfer has risen to the top as a preferred initial method to begin the decarbonization efforts for commercial buildings and thermal energy networks of all types and sizes.

Thermal energy networks can increase the value of other heating/cooling industry opportunities: increased employment of pipefitters and mechanical engineers, repiping of old buildings, improvements in heat pump design, wastewater system design with heat transfer, geothermal heat pump training and quality inspections.  

This city, which prides itself on progressive, bold and community-centered ideas, uses geothermal and thermal energy networks to help reach its goal of 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the next 30 years.

As energy bills go up and down, many consumers are sometimes put in the position of paying the electric or gas bill or buying food or medicine. Communities can help by researching alternative heating methods, such as sharing waste heat. 

Wastewater energy transfer has risen to the top as a preferred initial method to begin the decarbonization efforts for commercial buildings and thermal energy networks of all types and sizes.

Jay and Kristi Egg describe the efforts of David Hatherton and Dan Ellis in championing geothermal heating and cooling and the manufacturer of ground-source heat pumps in this country.

Thermal energy networks, wastewater energy transfer and phase change materials are three technologies that can further our decarbonization and electrification work. Read on to see how they work together.

This column relates some of the caveats and facilitates the protection of groundwater resources while ensuring the optimal performance of an aquifer thermal energy transfer system.