Chances for Polish district heating systems

The most economical and rational means of heat supply for city inhabitants are district heating systems. Heat generated in power plants and large heat sources is cheaper than heat from individual sources. The reason for that is the amount of heat generated and the fuel used in district heating, a very important energy sub-sector for the Polish economy. Poland is one of the biggest users of district heating systems in Europe, and those district heating systems are mainly coal-fired.What next with district heating systems, will they still be developing? In the perspective of a few dozen years, existing district heating systems in cities will be developing. In case when the investment in development of a district heating system is deemed unprofitable, densely built-up areas will develop local district heating networks powered from trigeneration sources, which will contribute to better comfort of living, as well as lower costs of heat supply. In the long term (50-100 years) in low-energy or passive buildings, the only source of energy will be electricity and the energy demand will be at a very low level. The article will present some problems connected with district heating systems. Energy efficiency of district heating systems depends on many things: smart grid and hydraulic analysis, heat losses from pipelines, water leakages in district heating networks. Another chance for energy efficiency is cogeneration. Thanks to its developed and centralized heat supply system, Poland is ideal for cogeneration. At present, Polish district heating systems have an extensive infrastructure of pipelines and fully automated district heating substations. Polish district heating systems have a good chance to improve energy efficiency and decrease air pollution from power and heat sources. This article shows only some problems that can give opportunities for further development of the Polish district heating systems.