Today Johnson Controls International and Empower agreed to demonstrate a new district cooling technology in Dubai that has the potential to significantly reduce water use in district cooling.
Office of International Affairs
December 15, 2014
minute read time
Signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding between Johnson Controls and Empower on a district cooling demonstration project in Dubai.
District energy, including district cooling, is an important component of the U.S. energy mix, particularly as cities, universities, and health care complexes look to ensure energy reliability and increase efficiency. A recent International Energy Agency publication that the DOE partnered to produce highlights that currently, there are over 600 district energy systems in the United States. Approximately half of these systems also have combined heat and power (CHP) which provides both thermal and electricity in one efficient step.
District energy and CHP are important technologies and areas of focus for DOE. The Department has been investing in these technologies for over a decade and has increased support in the deployment of such systems since 2001. DOE is focusing its efforts to meet the goal of 40 gigawatts of new CHP, including at district energy systems, by 2020 as directed by President Obama in 2012. This goal represents nearly a 50 percent increase in CHP over 2012 levels.
The United States currently has an installed CHP capacity of nearly 83 GW of electric capacity at over 4,200 facilities, which represents 8 percent of current U.S. electricity generating capacity. This CHP capacity avoids 241 million metric tons of CO2 compared to separate production of power and thermal. The year 2012 had the most new installed capacity since 2005.
CHP installed as part of district energy systems has grown in recent years – there is currently 6.6 GW of CHP generating capacity at district energy systems, spread across 55 downtown systems and 153 university campus district energy systems. This growth is expected to continue as cities, universities, and other end-users realize the economic and environmental benefits of CHP and district energy.
We are even working with partners around the globe to learn how we can provide more reliable and efficient energy here at home. For example, today Johnson Controls International and Empower agreed to demonstrate a new district cooling technology in Dubai that has the potential to significantly reduce water use in district cooling. Since the climate in the United Arab Emirates is very similar to the climate in Houston, Texas, the results from this demonstration will be applicable to both countries, as well as the broader Middle East region. This partnership is an excellent example of how the United States and UAE – governments and the private sector – can work together on the energy/water nexus and toward a future that meets its energy and water needs more efficiently without compromising the services provided to consumers.
This agreement supports the objectives of the U.S.-UAE Strategic Energy Dialogue, launched earlier this year in Abu Dhabi. Both governments are committed to strengthening the public and private sector partnerships to enhance our cooperation to address our shared energy and climate challenges.
Katrina Pielli
Katrina Pielli serves as the Strategic Initiatives Lead in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. In this role, she designs and leads work to support Tribes and Alaska Native entities on their energy journey, address energy access gaps, develop new technical assistance approaches, and effectively navigate the various support DOE provides. Katrina recently served as the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) Director of the Office of Engagement. In that role, she built and designed OCED’s engagement strategy, ensuring robust, meaningful stakeholder engagement—from Congress to local communities to Tribal governments—is at the center of the $25 billion+ OCED demonstration portfolio.
Katrina has over 20 years driving ambitious programs, shaping new initiatives, and building partnerships to tackle global energy challenges. She held various roles at DOE, the U.S. Agency for International Development (where she built and led Power Africa’s off-grid energy program), the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She also worked as an international energy development consultant and at non-profit organizations. Katrina holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Policy from Cornell College. She lives in her hometown in rural North Idaho.
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Katrina Pielli designs and leads work to support Tribes and Alaska Native entities on their energy transitions.