Publications
Publications
- July 2024 (Revised December 2024)
- HBS Case Collection
District Heating: An Overview
By: Willy Shih and Michael W. Toffel
Abstract
This note provides an overview of district heating: systems in which central plants generate heat that is conveyed by steam or water through a set of insulated pipes to send heat to residential and/or commercial buildings. It describes key elements of the system (heat generation, storage, distribution, and heat exchangers), environmental impacts, costs, related regulatory policies, and future prospects.
Keywords
Decarbonization; Energy Efficiency; Energy Storage; Energy Transmission; Construction; Energy; Buildings and Facilities; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Climate Change; Operations; Energy Industry; Denmark; Europe; United States
Citation
Shih, Willy, and Michael W. Toffel. "District Heating: An Overview." Harvard Business School Background Note 625-008, July 2024. (Revised December 2024.)