Denver Plans Decade-Long Thermal Network to Cut Building Emissions
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Denver is launching a decade-long project to replace its downtown natural gas steam heating system with a new thermal energy network. The city estimates the 'ambient loop' network will cost between $280 million and $320 million to build and could be up to 75% cheaper than other decarbonization methods for city buildings. The project aims to help Denver meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040.
Facts First
- Denver's largest source of climate pollution is its buildings, which are currently heated by a commercial steam system burning natural gas.
- The city plans to create an 'ambient loop' thermal energy network over the next decade to heat and cool 11 city-owned buildings.
- A 2021 city ordinance requires large buildings to reduce emissions, with potential penalties for non-compliance.
- The city estimates the network will cost $280-$320 million and could be up to 75% cheaper than other decarbonization methods.
- The pilot project will begin in approximately two years with two buildings and a sidewalk snowmelt system.
What Happened
Denver plans to repurpose the mothballed Cherokee Boiler House as a central hub for a new thermal network. The city intends to build an 'ambient loop' over the next decade, using underground pipes filled with water and water-source heat pumps to transfer energy between buildings. The city will drill hundreds of geothermal boreholes beneath downtown parking lots and use heat exchangers in major sewage lines to capture thermal energy from warm wastewater. Metro Water Recovery currently discharges treated wastewater into the South Platte River while it is still warm, but must cool it in several years to comply with state regulations. Dan Freedman of Metro Water Recovery stated that in certain weather, wastewater can contain about four times the heat used by buildings on the current steam system during winter.
Why this Matters to You
If you live or work in a large building in Denver, you may see changes to heating systems and energy costs as the city works to comply with its 2021 emissions ordinance. For customers on the existing commercial steam system, bills have more than doubled in the past decade; a new, more efficient network could help stabilize these costs. The construction of hundreds of geothermal boreholes and new piping infrastructure beneath downtown parking lots and streets may affect traffic and parking access during the decade-long build-out.
What's Next
The city's pilot program will begin in approximately two years with two buildings and a sidewalk snowmelt system. Denver plans to have nine buildings connected to the network by 2030. The full build-out of the ambient loop over the next decade is likely to involve significant public investment and coordination between city departments and utilities like Metro Water Recovery. The project's success could provide a model for other cities looking to decarbonize building heating systems.