Blogs

First Statewide Moratorium on New Hyperscale Data Centers Launched by Governor Kathy Hochul

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
New York State Summary Governor Kathy Hochul today signed an Executive Order to create the nation’s first moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, establishing the strongest standards for data center development and creating a blueprint to support localities. The Governor is temporarily pausing State environmental permits for up to one year in order to build a nation-leading regulatory framework that protects ratepayers, the environment, the energy grid and communities across the state. “New York has always been at the forefront of innovation and change but we’ve also always guaranteed that New Yorkers benefit. As data center development threatens to ...

Scaleway acquires HPC specialist Qarnot to expand cloud platform

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
DCD Summary European cloud provider Scaleway has acquired Qarnot, a specialist in high-performance computing (HPC) for engineering, simulation, and research workloads. Qarnot is also bringing its expertise in waste heat recovery to Scaleway, with the company having an established, patented direct liquid-cooling technology. Up to 95 percent of the heat produced by HPC servers can be recovered and redirected to district heating networks, public facilities, and industrial sites, without affecting computing performance. Continue Reading #News #DistrictCooling

Green Metro-Campus in Zurich enters next stage of construction

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Easy News Summary Green Metro-Campus in Zurich enters next stage of construction / Building work has commenced on two additional Green data centers on the Metro-Campus Zurich Waste heat from the data centers will be used by Energie 360° for cooperative energy solutions. Construction is already underway on the heating center and district heating network in Dielsdorf. Today, leading Swiss data center provider Green announces the next phase of the project. In Dielsdorf, building work on data centers N and O has commenced on the Metro-Campus Zurich. The two new high-performance data centers will provide room for around 4,000 server racks for up to 160,000 IT ...

Brock earns recognition for energy conservation

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Brock University Summary Brock University was recently recognized by Enbridge Gas at the Ontario Association of Physical Plant Administrators Energy Meeting for its leadership in energy conservation. Through a series of energy efficient projects such as building controls optimization and variable frequency drive installations completed in 2024 and 2025, the University has conserved an estimated 251,766 cubic metres of natural gas — which is similar to the amount of natural gas used by approximately 114 homes each year in Canada. Continue Reading #MemberNewsIDEA #BrockUniversity

District heating 'should bring prices down'

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
RTE Summary District heating is the "missing piece of the puzzle" when it comes to energy in Ireland, the CEO of the Irish District Energy Association has said. Pauline O'Reilly made her comments on RTÉ's Morning Ireland today after the Cabinet advanced the new Heat Bill, paving the way for it to be introduced in the Oireachtas this year. The bill is designed to enable the rollout of district heating. Minister for Climate and Energy Darragh O'Brien said research shows that approximately 80% of heat demand in Dublin could be met by district heating by 2050. Continue Reading #News #DistrictHeating

Vicinity Energy plant in OKC set for zero carbon emissions by 2050

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Journal Record Summary At the corner of E.K. Gaylord Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue lies a building shrouded in mystery and the shadow of the Devon Tower at sundown. Hundreds, if not thousands, drive past every day on their way to work. All can see the steam rising as it dissipates in the air overhead. Looking like the inside of a full file cabinet or a window blind pulled shut, that building isn’t a building at all, but a wall to shield the operations of Vicinity Energy , which is planning to bring some of Oklahoma City’s largest facilities and developments a step closer to decarbonization, or zero emissions, by 2050. Due to Boston’s climate action ...

Vicinity Energy Recognized for Growing District Energy Footprint in Greater Boston

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Contractor Summary Vicinity Energy has received a Gold Award from the International District Energy Association (IDEA) recognizing the continued growth of its Boston and Cambridge district energy network and the increasing adoption of district energy by commercial and institutional building owners. The award, presented during IDEA2026, the association's 117th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Ottawa, Canada, recognizes both building area committed and total square footage connected to Vicinity's district energy system. Vicinity Chief Development Officer Brian Mueller accepted the award on behalf of the company. Continue Reading #MemberNewsIDEA ...

Can Europe Beat the Heat Without More Air Conditioners?

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Yahoo! News Summary With Europe facing more frequent and hotter heatwaves, the uptake of air conditioning systems has soared across the region in recent years. This trend is driving energy demand and making it more difficult for countries to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in favour of renewable alternatives. Several countries across Europe have made ambitious green transition pledges, which is why many governments, companies, and researchers are exploring alternative, less carbon-intensive methods for cooling. In addition to shifting urban planning decisions to prepare for hotter temperatures, governments and private companies are increasingly using ...

UNEP advances district cooling planning in Uttar Pradesh, India

By District Energy posted 14 hours ago
Refindustry Summary The UNEP Cool Coalition and BEE–UNEP District Cooling Hub, together with the Uttar Pradesh State Transformation Commission, held a high-level workshop on 3 July 2026 to examine pathways for accelerating district cooling adoption in the Indian state. Government representatives, urban development authorities, planning agencies, infrastructure developers and multilateral organisations discussed integrating district cooling into future urban developments. The workshop addressed growing cooling demand linked to urbanisation and industrialisation, as well as energy efficiency, peak electricity demand and climate resilience. Participants ...

UAE utilities spotlight talent on World Youth Skills Day

By District Energy posted 15 hours ago
Middle Easy Utilities Summary UAE utilities marked World Youth Skills Day 2026 by highlighting the role of youth development, technical training and leadership skills in building more sustainable and future-ready energy and water sectors. Held annually on July 15, World Youth Skills Day recognises the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation ( Empower ) and Emirates Water and Electricity Company ( EWEC ) both highlighted the importance of equipping young people with the skills needed to contribute to sustainable development, innovation ...

Brookfield, Bloom Energy expand partnership to $25 billion framework for onsite data center power

By District Energy posted 15 hours ago
Power Engineering Summary Bloom Energy, a company deploying solid oxide fuel cells, and Brookfield recently announced the expansion of their strategic partnership as Brookfield increases its framework to finance power projects for AI infrastructure – from previously announced $5 billion to $25 billion – a fivefold expansion since October 2025. Solid oxide fuel cells are typically used for auxiliary power, electric utilities and distributed generation. Their advantages include high efficiency (a lower heating value of 60%), fuel flexibility, combined heat and power (CHP) capabilities, and hybrid/gas turbine cycle capabilities, per the U.S. Department ...

University to use waste heat from its data center to supplement district heating network in Wrocław, Poland

By District Energy posted 15 hours ago
DCD Summary The Wrocław University of Science and Technology has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a local heat and power plant operator to use waste heat from its data center to power a district heating network in Wrocław, western Poland. Like many countries in eastern and northern Europe, many homes and businesses in Poland are warmed using municipal district heating systems. By supplementing Wrocław’s network with heat from its university’s data center, both the municipal authorities and the higher education institution hope that the efficiency of the overall system will improve, reported Wrocławskie Fakty. Continue Reading #News #DataCenter ...

Ukrainian Parliament Approves Draft of Heat Supply Reform Bill

By District Energy posted 15 hours ago
Kyiv Post Summary Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada approved draft law No. 14067, “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Supporting the Development of Effective and Sustainable Centralized Heat Supply,” paving the way for a broad modernization of the country’s district heating systems. A key provision creates the framework for the broader introduction of individual heating points (ITPs) in buildings connected to district heating systems. Continue Reading #News #Organization #DistrictHeating

Pure DC reveals plans for 550MW data center campus in Finland

By District Energy posted 15 hours ago
ITPro Summary Pure Data Centres Group has announced plans to invest more than €7.5 Billion to build a sprawling data center campus in Finland. The deal represents one of the largest ever inward investment projects in Finnish history, and will see an initial pledge of €1.5 billion to develop a 110MW AI campus in Seinäjoki. The data halls located at the site are also based on a modular design aimed at streamlining efficiency and predictability. Jaakko Kiiskilä, Mayor of Seinäjoki Municipality, said waste heat from the data center will be repurposed to support the district’s heating network. Continue Reading #News #DistrictHeating ...

City of Vancouver’s False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility Wins IDEA System of the Year Award at IDEA2026

By District Energy posted 23 hours ago
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) is proud to announce that the City of Vancouver’s False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) has been awarded the System of the Year Award (SOYA) at IDEA2026, the organization’s annual conference and trade show, held in Ottawa, Ontario, June 23–26, 2026. SOYA is the highest honor IDEA bestows on a district energy system, recognizing exceptional performance, innovation, and service that advances the goals of the industry. False Creek NEU — a municipally owned and operated district energy utility serving Vancouver’s densest urban neighborhoods — has distinguished itself through 16 years of reliable ...

Johnson Controls Wins Joseph M. Brillhart IDEA Innovation Award at IDEA2026

By District Energy posted 23 hours ago
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) has named Johnson Controls the recipient of the 2026 Joseph M. Brillhart Innovation Award for its work on the University of Windsor’s hybrid steam-electric chiller project. The project is expected to deliver 82% of the university’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target, reduce grid electricity demand by approximately 60% during Ontario’s peak demand periods, and generate significant cost savings by leveraging recovered steam instead of grid electricity. The winning submission, “Pioneering Campus Decarbonization: Advancing Hybrid Steam-Electric Innovation at the University of Windsor,” highlighted how ...

CeraPhi Energy and Star Energy Announce Landmark Agreement to Repurpose UK Wells for Clean Geothermal Energy.

By District Energy posted 2 days ago
Global Renewable News Summary CeraPhi Energy Ltd ("CeraPhi") is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic agreement with Star Energy Group plc ("Star Energy") that will enable the transition of legacy onshore oil and gas wells into sustainable geothermal energy centres across the United Kingdom. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the UK's energy transition, establishing a framework for the potential transfer and repurposing of non-producing wells and wellsite's owned by Star Energy, the UK's largest onshore oil and gas operator, into clean energy assets using CeraPhi's proprietary CeraPhiWell technology. It is the first step towards ...

PIF, I Squared Capital sign MoU for up to $2bn infrastructure investment

By District Energy posted 2 days ago
Arab News Summary Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has secured up to $2 billion from global investor I Squared Capital for its real estate and infrastructure portfolio. Under the agreement announced in Riyadh, I Squared will target allocating up to $1 billion each toward digital infrastructure and district cooling projects, both seen as critical enablers of the real estate sector, with room to scale into related business areas. Continue Reading #News #DistrictEnergy

District heating 'should bring prices down'

By District Energy posted 3 days ago
RTE Summary District heating is the "missing piece of the puzzle" when it comes to energy in Ireland, the CEO of the Irish District Heating Association has said. Pauline O'Reilly made her comments on RTÉ's Morning Ireland today after the Cabinet advanced the new Heat Bill, paving the way for it to be introduced in the Oireachtas this year. The bill is designed enable the rollout of district heating. Minister for Climate and Energy Darragh O'Brien said research shows that approximately 80% of heat demand in Dublin could be met by district heating by 2050. District heating uses water-pipe networks to deliver heated water ...

Saudi Tabreed plans geothermal-powered open-space district cooling at a university development

By District Energy posted 3 days ago
LinkedIn Summary Saudi Tabreed has signed a preliminary binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an innovative district cooling solution for the Jnayin Nourah Project at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh. The agreement brings together Best Land for Real Estate and Investment, Daim Al Athar for Real Estate, and Strataphy , the provider of PrimeLoop geothermal technology. The project will pioneer the world's first open-space cooling geothermal system, powered by Strataphy's patented PrimeLoop technology. Under the collaboration, Saudi Tabreed will deliver a turnkey district cooling solution with an indicative cooling ...