The Bitten and Mads Clausen Foundation, which owns the Danfoss Group, today announced DKK 9 million in new funding to support UN’s District Energy in Cities initiative under the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Partnership and its Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform.
The new funds, spread over three years, will create a team of deployable district energy experts to support UNEP’s District Energy in Cities initiative in scaling-up, retrofitting and developing district energy projects.
The team will assist up to 31 cities that have been chosen as part of an extensive consultation process to determine municipalities of high district heating or cooling potential. Deeper engagements are initially planned in China, India, and Serbia.
Announcing the funding approval, President & CEO of Danfoss Niels B. Christiansen said, “The Bitten and Mads Clausen Foundation and the Danfoss Group are fully committed to action and acceleration on energy efficiency. The District Energy in Cities initiative is designed to help cities develop state-of-the-art district energy solutions. This is a very important step in delivering on the Paris Agreement and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals”.
According to UNEPs Report modern district energy systems can reduce primary energy consumption for heating and cooling of urban buildings by up to 50%. Modern DES provide the only means to use of low-quality thermal energy (waste heat) to provide heat, cool and hot water services in buildings. They allow for high levels of affordable renewable energy supply through economies of scale, diversity of supply, balancing and storage making them a key measure for cities/countries that aim to achieve 100% renewable energy or carbon neutral targets.
“This is a great example of a public-private partnership where public finance help mobilise private funding. We strongly support the SE4All initiative. I am delighted to this example of Danish know-how and expertise play a significant role in the creation of sustainable solutions with global reach”, said the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kristian Jensen.
The District Energy in Cities initiative is one of the implementation mechanisms for the SE4ALL Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform, which is also supported by the partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UNEP-DTU Partnership will employ the new team of district energy experts at its offices in the UN City, Copenhagen.