District heating

District heating supplies heat from one or more central sources to multiple buildings through a network of insulated pipes. It can use several fuels and heat sources, including waste heat and geothermal energy.

Combined heat and power: A process that produces electricity and useful heat from the same energy source. Power stations can supply district networks with heat that would otherwise be wasted.
District heating network: A connected system of pipes that carries heat from supply points to buildings. The network is the physical link between central heat sources and customers.
Combined heat and power plant: A facility that generates electricity and captures useful heat from the same fuel or energy source. Such plants can supply both a district network and the electricity grid.
Individual heating system: A system that provides heat to a single building or dwelling rather than a shared network. It places heat production inside or beside each building instead of centralizing supply.
Heat exchanger: A device that transfers heat between fluids without mixing them. Heat exchangers connect network water to building heating circuits.
Hot-water heating: A heating system that uses heated water to transfer thermal energy. Most district systems distribute heat using circulating hot water.
Waste-to-energy plant: A facility that converts non-recyclable waste into usable energy, often through combustion. Some plants recover combustion heat for district networks.
Natural gas heating: Heating that burns natural gas in equipment serving a building or group of buildings. Building-level gas boilers avoid a shared pipe network but require local combustion.
Thermal energy storage: The capture of heat for use at a later time. Large hot-water stores help balance heat production with changing demand.
Geothermal heating: The use of heat from within Earth for buildings or other purposes. Geothermal reservoirs can provide a steady source for district networks.

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