White Paper Uncovers Untapped Potential of Excess Heat as Energy Source

A new white paper from Danfoss highlights the vast untapped potential of excess heat as a source of energy and calls on policymakers across the world, including the United States, to accelerate the use of excess heat across all sectors.

Excess heat can be reused to supply a factory with heat and warm water or exported to neighboring homes and industries through a district energy system, which supplies heat to consumers via a network of underground pipes carrying hot water. Such heat networks can cover a large area or even an entire city or supply a small cluster of local buildings.

While the U.S. would need to invest in infrastructure and district heating systems, there is low-hanging fruit in universities and hospital campuses to apply this solution now.

Utilizing excess heat can replace significant amounts of fossil fuels that are otherwise needed to produce heat. Used this way, excess heat can help stabilize the future electricity grid and thereby ease the transition to a green energy system.

The white paper, “The world’s largest untapped energy source: Excess heat,” is available for download at whyenergyefficiency.com.