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Yes, of course. The size and scale of the district cooling industry in the Middle East has been an important factor for the global growth of the industry, and has helped to crystallise the importance of investing in infrastructure to strengthen the electricity grid, reduce emissions and conserve water more effectively through the scale provided by district cooling.
There is great opportunity to share experiences in sub-metering, or use of TSE or seawater for condenser cooling, for instance, in the Middle East. IDEA members are always eager to openly share and assist each other with new technologies and enhanced business models. The size and scale of investment in district energy assets in the region will ensure that the industry continues to capture great attention and focus from IDEA members globally.
Now that a lot of the focus is on IRENA and renewables, do you think there is danger of the spotlight moving away from district cooling?
No, since air-conditioning is an essential service, with life safety implications, and the scalable district cooling assets have become critical infrastructure for the region, even greater attention must be paid to enhancing efficiency, maintaining reliability, and ensuring safety and security of supply. District cooling is a substantial business in the region, and the scale of the assets will require ongoing attention and stewardship.
What would you sum up as the main message of the US event for the Middle East region?
The theme of the conference was ‘District Energy/CHP: Local Energy, Global Solution’, and that would be the main message, that the district energy industry is a proven, reliable, and scalable energy technology that can contribute immediately to greater energy efficiency and mitigate carbon emissions on a highly effective scale. The industry in the US has stood the test of time, with businesses operating efficiently for over 100 years. Likewise, district energy has been the cornerstone of the efficiency focus of Denmark, and has allowed the country to evolve into the only net energy producing nation in the EU.
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What are the latest developments in terms of the October conference?
The focus will be on workshops and technical/operational exchange on enhancing plant efficiencies, training operational staff, monitoring distribution networks and end-user efficiency. Rather than focus on policy and business development, the fourth International District Cooling Conference will sharpen attention on improving operations to increase profitability and reduce costs.
What is IDEA’s strategy for the region going forward?
Since its inception in late 2006, the Middle East Chapter grew from 56 members to more than 360 members in 2009. IDEA has been working closely with its members in the Middle East, assisting them with case studies, providing them with a unique best practice guide, and holding specific and tailored conferences and workshops for the district energy industry, as well as connecting them with industry suppliers, consultants, providers, legislators and more.
IDEA has also been actively supporting its members by holding discussions with government bodies like DEWA and ADWEA on electricity rates, water supplies and TSE and power-supply issues. Over the last few years, many of the Middle East member companies have been attending the annual conferences in the US each June, as well as the annual campus energy conference in the first quarter of every year.
IDEA will be holding its fourth international district cooling conference and trade show at the InterContinental Hotel at Dubai Festival City from 11-13 October. Visit www.districtenergy.org for more info.
Major Exhibitors in October 2009
• COWI/AS
• EVAPCO Europe
• Flow Control Industries, Inc.
• Flowserve FCD
• Hamon CTC
• High Performance Tube
• ONICON Incorporated
• Perma Pipe Middle East
• SPX Cooling Technologies
• Thermo Systems
• Warren Controls
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