Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation, one of the world’s largest district cooling services provider, shared some of its latest best practices and innovations at the International District Energy Association’s (IDEA) 108th Annual Conference & Tradeshow held in Scottsdale, USA, late last month.

“District Cooling has emerged as one of the best solutions to meet energy efficiency needs in response to global warming. The UAE has made considerable progress in this field,” said Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower.

Bin Shafar also presented his views and opinions on the pace of change in the district cooling during Global Leaders Plenary Panel Discussion which shed light on – ‘Sustaining Our Success’. He presented a ‘look ahead’ on the industry, sharing insights on policies, business models and emerging trends related to more resilient and sustainable energy for cities, communities and campuses.

The panel discussions were focused on a variety of areas and topics, such as the panellists’ industry experiences of district energy in Canada, China, Germany/European Union, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, the UK and the US, impact of renewable energy on district energy business models and the transition, Business Continuity and Reliability – with the support of global case studies of real time crises, environmental policies supporting district energy business and role of governments, policy-gaps, industry trends in countries – towards public or private engagements in DC business, optimisation towards operational efficiency, drives of capital investments, features that drive industry growth, challenges in expanding DC network in the Middle East region, critical success factors in starting new DC business, Microgrids – trends and possibilities, and educating and engaging local governments in advancing the deployment of district energy. The panel discussion was also enlivened by audience interactions and live polls.

“District Cooling contributes to sustainable development through its efficiency and impact on carbon reduction. Over the years, several companies and organisations have worked together to capture a growing niche market, catering specifically for the transition to a low-carbon and green economy through the consolidation of knowledge and looking to district cooling as an enabler of efficiency and managing the energy-water nexus. With the technology witnessing advancement in the past few years, the industry has developed a sizeable footprint with several million tons of capacity in place to serve the varied cooling needs of customers. As the industry grows rapidly while dealing with the challenges of managing resources, meeting climate objectives and creating customer value, platforms as these help outline the intent, structure and current status of the technology,” added Bin Shafar.