Burns & McDonnell
Summary
Nuclear energy is emerging as a promising solution to the challenge of decarbonizing fossil fuel-based district energy systems, while preserving the reliability and resilience these systems have long been known for. Now with more than a dozen different designs in various stages of development, advanced microreactor technologies are attracting attention due to the potential to deliver scalable solutions for district energy applications.
Climate change presents one of the more pressing global issues of our time, and reducing carbon emissions is widely accepted as a key tactic for tackling this challenge. Achieving carbon reduction goals will require extensive planning, cooperation, investment and leadership among corporations, governments, institutions and society at large.
It is estimated that 42% of emissions are attributed to the construction and operation of buildings. Universities are among those under increasing pressure to decarbonize, and utility systems serving university buildings represent a significant source of campus carbon emissions.
For decades, district energy has been a trusted and reliable backbone for providing utilities in a campus setting (see Figure 1) but selecting and assembling a set of low- and no-carbon technologies that provide resilience and operational continuity is challenging. However, the energy transition is presenting opportunities for forward-thinking institutions to exert leadership and demonstrate the features and benefits emerging technologies can offer as new energy sources to reduce or nearly eliminate campus carbon emissions.
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