Blogs

Trane Wins Three 2026 E+E Leader Awards for Building Decarbonization Projects

By District Energy posted 11 hours ago
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Environment + Energy Leader Summary Trane unlocks the potential of buildings for organizations, communities, and the planet. With deep technical expertise and strong sustainability and regulatory insight, Trane helps customers achieve meaningful energy efficiency and decarbonization goals, and its advanced HVAC, building automation, and energy solutions drive performance, resilience, and climate responsibility. Backed by decades of accredited experience, Trane delivers end‑to‑end building and infrastructure programs that produce measurable, validated outcomes. As part of Trane Technologies, the global network brings proven experience and local execution ...
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Clemson University works with partners to turn waste heat into electricity

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Clemson News Summary Clemson University researchers are working with industrial partners to test and validate a system that is designed to capture waste heat from industrial processes and turn it into usable electricity. The 1-megawatt heat-recovery system is a prototype that is designed for use at data centers, natural gas compression sites, industrial facilities, geothermal operations and other locations where waste heat can be captured. The system is the focal point of a $6.3-million research grant that the U.S. Department of Energy provided to Clemson, TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company and the National Laboratory of the Rockies. Continue Reading ...
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Idex to develop geothermal and waste heat project in Levallois, France

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Think GeoEnergy Summary An urban heating project by Idex in Levallois, France combines geothermal heat with waste heat recovered from a local data center. Low-carbon energy company Idex has announced the launch of an urban heating project in the commune of Levallois in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France that will combine geothermal heating and a waste heat recovery system from a data centre. The pioneering project is expected to be operational by 2029. Idex will be investing EUR 70 million for the project, which includes EUR 15 million funding from the French Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME). The project will be carried out through ...
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Fuel Cells Emerge as Key Power Source for AI Data Centers

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Seoul Economic Daily Summary The fuel cell industry is drawing attention as a key power infrastructure for the era of AI transformation (AX) and green transformation (GX). Fuel cells require less installation space than solar or wind power, making them suitable as power infrastructure for urban AI data centers. They can generate electricity continuously regardless of weather conditions, and their waste heat can be used for district heating in nearby areas, enabling highly efficient energy management. Continue Reading #News #fuelcells #DistrictHeating #DataCenter
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Data centers don’t have to be a burden on local communities – and can even support them by generating power and repurposing waste heat

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Seattle PI Summary Data centers produce large amounts of heat, which must be removed from the computer chips. A data center gives off enough heat to potentially keep nearby buildings warm. Many cities around the world already have what are called “ district heating systems ,” in which a group of buildings are connected with a pipe network and receive their heat from a central heat source. Data centers could serve as a heat source for these systems. Recent improvements in these systems, called a “ thermal microgrid ” or an “ambient loop,” don’t require steam or extremely hot water, but rather use cooler temperatures of water to transport heat ...
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Siemens awarded supply contract for Vulcan’s geothermal lithium project in Germany

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Think GeoEnergy Summary Siemens has been selected to provide automation solutions for the planned lithium production and geothermal energy facilities of Vulcan Energy in Germany. Vulcan Energy (Vulcan) has announced the signing of EUR 40 million project framework agreement with Siemens AG (Siemens) for the supply of engineering, automation, telecommunications, and building technology systems for Vulcan’s flagship geothermal energy and lithium production project (Lionheart) in the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. The Lionheart project involves the construction of an integrated lithium and renewable energy project targeting a production capacity ...
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German utility deploying 30 MW heat pump for district heating

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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pv magazine Summary Hanover-based utility Enercity AG has begun construction on a major heat pump project as it moves away from coal-based district heating. The company, which currently still relies heavily on the Stöcken coal-fired power plant for heat supply, has already shut down the first of its generating units, with the second scheduled to follow in spring 2028. The system is intended to supply district heating to around 13,000 households at a flow temperature of 95 C. To integrate the plant into the existing heating network, the Leine River will be crossed using horizontal directional drilling. Continue Reading #News #DistrictHea ...
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Powering up data centre development

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Canadian Property Management Summary Energy management and innovation could be a key enabler and sustainable competitive edge for data centre development and related economic growth tied to smart technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). A new report sponsored by the MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto-based incubator for research, development and commercialization, models the potential for accommodating up to 3 gigawatts (3,000 megawatts) of additional data centre capacity in Ontario over the next 10 years, and explores how that could occur synergistically with other development demands. Factoring in planned expansions to 2035, researchers conclude ...
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Coventry University takes big step towards net zero ambitions

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Coventry Observer Summary A ‘TRULY transformative moment’ – Coventry University has taken a big step towards its carbon net zero ambitions. The university campus is now connected to the city’s low-carbon district energy network, resulting in lower emissions and improved energy efficiency. The upgraded network is key to the university’s ambition to reach net zero by 2030, and also creates future opportunities for parts of Hillfields to access low-carbon heat. Supported by almost £13million from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the project – delivered with Bring Energy – is expected to cut carbon emissions by more than 1,300 tonnes ...
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Can thermal energy from Boston Harbor heat and cool city buildings?

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Facilities Dive Summary Boston and the state of Massachusetts are trying to boost their energy infrastructure through financing programs, laws and executive orders. Last May, Governor Maura Healey proposed the Energy Affordability, Independence & Innovation Act to provide financing to reduce the upfront costs of geothermal projects, which are significantly more affordable to operate once built, per the release. The bill would reduce the up-front cost to build geothermal networks and establish new financing tools for customers to install equipment to more efficiently heat and cool buildings, according to a legislative fact sheet . These proposed ...
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Nakheel advances Dubai Islands project with $144m Island B contract

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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yahoo! finance Summary Nakheel, part of Dubai Holding Real Estate, has issued a contract valued at Dh527m ($144m) to Al Nasr Contracting Company for infrastructure and utilities works on Island B at Dubai Islands. Works under the contract will include construction of roads, potable water supplies, electrical and telecommunications networks, and systems for drainage and sewage. Integration with the existing District Cooling Plant and technical coordination with Island A are also within the project’s remit. The infrastructure will utilise utility systems planned for resilience and long-term sustainability to match the broader masterplan. Continue ...
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Perma-Pipe Books $54 Million in Q1 Awards Across Energy, Data Center Projects

By District Energy posted 12 hours ago
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Pipeline & Gas Journal Summary Perma-Pipe International Holdings reported approximately $54 million in project awards during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting continued demand for engineered piping systems across energy and infrastructure markets. The company said the awards span North America and the Middle East, with activity tied to both traditional energy projects and emerging infrastructure segments, including data center development. In North America, project wins were supported by increased investment in data center infrastructure, including facilities tied to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Additional awards included ...
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Thermal storage heats up as industry hunts for cheaper, cleaner energy

By District Energy posted 13 hours ago
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Reuters Summary Across the globe, 37% of total energy is used by industry, and two-thirds of industrial energy consumption is in the form of heat. But industry has proven stubbornly difficult to decarbonise, with fossil fuels, mainly natural gas, still powering about 80%. Battery energy storage is one solution, (cross-ref to mining story), but there’s another form of storage that is gaining ground: ‌thermal energy storage. In TES, energy is stored directly in a medium, like water, molten salt, sand, rock or concrete, generally through a change of temperature, and released when it is needed, days or even months later. Waste heat from one high-temperature ...
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Penn State University - Mechanical Engineer (Chilled Water & Hot Water Systems)

By District Energy posted 5 days ago
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Penn State University Mechanical Engineer (Chilled Water & Hot Water Systems) Penn State is seeking a Mechanical or Hydronics Operations Engineer to support the reliable, efficient operation of campus chilled water and heating hot water systems, distribution loops, plant equipment, and building-level hydronic systems. This role applies established hydronic/hydraulic principles to evaluate system performance, troubleshoot operational issues, and improve long-term reliability and efficiency. The position supports Penn State’s long-range initiative to expand interconnected chilled and hot water loops across University Park. ...
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District Energy and Data Centers: A Strategic Partnership for the Future

By District Energy posted 6 days ago
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Facilities Management Advisor Summary Hyperscale data center growth is running headlong into real-world constraints—interconnection queues, transformer lead times, water stress, community scrutiny, and tightening climate policy. At the same time, the thermal profile of the data center sector is shifting decisively from air to liquid cooling, concentrating heat into a form far more useful than a plume of hot exhaust. In that context, district energy—the practice of distributing heating and cooling through shared underground networks—is a strategic lever. Data centers accounted for roughly 4.4% of U.S. electricity use in 2023 and, while forecasts vary ...
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The US Government Will Ask Data Centers How Much Power They Use

By District Energy posted 6 days ago
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Wired Summary The US federal government’s central energy information agency is planning to implement a mandatory nationwide survey of data centers focused on their energy use, according to a letter seen by WIRED. This survey would be the first effort of its type to collect basic information about data centers. The letter was sent to senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley on April 9 by the head of the Energy Information Administration, Tristan Abbey, and comes in response to a previous inquiry from the senators about the EIA’s plans to get more information about data centers Continue Reading #News #DataCenter #Data ...
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River Trent could produce heat for thousands of homes, says council

By District Energy posted 8 days ago
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West Bridgeford Wire Summary Thousands more homes and businesses across Nottingham could get access to cheaper energy under plans to expand a system that allows the city to generate its own power. Nottingham’s district heat network, which is the oldest and largest in the country, is currently powered by the burning of 180,000 tonnes of household waste at the Eastcroft Incinerator. There are now hopes to boost the network’s capacity by potentially using the River Trent or Nottingham Canal. Continue Reading #News #DistrictHeating
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Edmonstone Village Homes Launch with Low-Carbon District Heating Network

By District Energy posted 8 days ago
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Edinburgh News Summary All of the homes at Edmonstone Village will be powered by a district heating system, operated by Vital Energi. Properties will receive their heating and hot water from a central energy centre via a network of insulated district heating pipes, removing the need for individual gas boilers in every home. The low carbon system is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and deliver heat more efficiently, helping residents lower their environmental impact without compromising on comfort. Continue Reading #News #DistrictHeating
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Minnesota eyes $3 million study to harness heat from wastewater

By District Energy posted 8 days ago
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Minnesota House of Representatives Summary What goes down the drain could come back to heat your home or business. That’s the principle behind using wastewater as a heating source. Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL-St. Louis Park) would like to see Minnesota take the lead on this relatively new technology. He sponsors HF2317 , which, as amended , would appropriate $3 million from the Renewable Development Account to the Pollution Control Agency to conduct a study that would identify wastewater treatment plants in the state at which waste heat could be recovered and used to provide heat to buildings through an existing or new district heating system. Ever-Green ...
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Nuclear heat keeps people warm in many countries. Why not ours?

By District Energy posted 8 days ago
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CBC Summary About 400,000 people in homes in three cities in northern China stayed warm and cozy this winter, thanks to heat piped from their local nuclear power plant. The Haiyang nuclear plant feeds into a district heating network called Warm Nuclear No.1, which has been expanding since 2019 and also serves the neighbouring cities of Rushong and Weihai. It's now preparing to extend to Qingdao City , 130 km from Haiyang. As of December 2025, heat from the nuclear power plant had displaced 1.3 million tonnes of coal and cut CO2 emissions by 2.3 million tonnes, improving winter air quality in the cities it heated, the International Atomic ...
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