Use of low-temperature heat sources in district heating (DH) systems is gaining attention as a climate mitigation measure. Urban excess heat (UEH) from data centres, metro stations, sewage systems and service sector buildings’ cooling system belongs to these sources. The use of UEH affects energy supply systems and system costs. We analyse the long-term system impacts of utilizing the four UEH sources through dynamic modelling of the energy systems. The study draws on data from real cases in four cities and addresses local conditions. The results show that UEH utilization can contribute to increased competitiveness of DH compared to individual heating. The system benefits are larger if UEH replaces boilers in DH system and/or in buildings.

作为缓解气候变化的措施，在区域供热（DH）系统中使用低温热源正受到关注。来自数据中心，地铁站，污水处理系统和服务部门建筑物的冷却系统的城市多余热量（UEH）属于这些来源。UEH的使用会影响能源供应系统和系统成本。我们通过对能源系统进行动态建模来分析利用四个UEH源对长期系统的影响。该研究借鉴了四个城市的实际案例数据，并针对当地情况。结果表明，与单独供热相比，UEH的利用可以提高DH的竞争力。如果UEH替换DH系统和/或建筑物中的锅炉，则系统收益会更大。