Understanding the Potential of TENs
Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) may offer a promising alternative to traditional building-by-building decarbonization approaches in certain circumstances. To better understand the extent of their potential, our TENs initiative is leading several projects to clarify the techno-economic opportunities they present, and to explore ways to integrate these approaches into municipal, provincial, and federal regulations if and where appropriate.
Why do TENs matter?
Our Projects
Developing Thermal Network Impact Potential and Advancing Regulatory Prototypes
Description: The Building Decarbonization Alliance has launched a national study on the potential of Thermal Energy Networks, a two-year project aimed at developing analysis, decision-support tools, and prototype policies that might help expand the consideration and deployment of TENs as a complement to other building-by-building decarbonization solutions when conditions support them.
While TENs are a promising solution for neighbourhood-scale decarbonization, the area-based planning approaches that are needed for them to reach scale are only just emerging in Canada. This project aims to clarify the economic opportunities associated with TENs and area-based planning approaches, and to find ways to embed those approaches into regulations at the municipal, provincial, and federal level. Ultimately, we aim to provide analysis, decision support tools, and prototype policies that can help broaden the use of TENs where appropriate as a complement to other building-by-building decarbonization tools.
Project Funder(s):
(And more coming soon)
Steering Committee:
Expert Advisors:
Unlocking Utility-Scale Thermal Energy Networks in Canada
Estimated Timeline: 2025-2027
Description: This project’s objective is to enable utilities to deploy Thermal Energy Networks (TENs). Large utilities (i.e., electric and/or natural gas) have the necessary infrastructure, expertise, and relationships to efficiently manage and scale these complex systems to ensure reliable energy distribution. Utilities can leverage their resources and capabilities to integrate renewable energy sources, reduce emissions, and achieve broader sustainability goals while maintaining affordability for their customers. While four U.S. States recently passed legislation to either allow or mandate their utilities to develop TEN demonstration projects or pilots, Canada has seen far less utility activity in the TENs space. Current regulations do not fully support the integration of TENs, limiting the potential for improved heating efficiency and lower emissions. This project will see us work enable utilities to implement TENs by conducting a comprehensive review of existing regulations, identifying blockers, and collaboratively developing potential regulatory solutions and working to have them implemented toward utility-led pilots.
Project Funder(s):
Coming Soon
Road-mapping Initiative for Networked Geothermal (RING)
Estimated Timeline: 2024-2025
Description: From fall 2024 through spring 2025, the Building Decarbonizaton Alliance will be taking part in a working group of industry and regulatory experts led by MaRS, with the goal of exploring how to accelerate the deployment of affordable, reliable, utility-scale geothermal networks in high-density Canadian cities that rely heavily on natural gas for heating.
Project Lead:
Resources from BDA Partners
- The Building Decarbonization Coalition has created an overview of thermal energy networks, including terminology, benefits, and a scan of current legislation
- Reshape Strategies has collected a set of case studies involving district energy for heating and cooling
