Increased district heating and district cooling consumption

Published:

District heating consumption increased by 8.6 per cent in 2016 compared to the year before and amounted to a record high 5.2 TWh. Investment in district heating production and the further expansion of the district heating net has pushed up consumption over time.

Figure 1

Figure 1. District heating 2016. Click on image for larger version.

In 2016, the total length of the district heating net was about 1 900 km – more than twice that of 2008. 

Highest consumption in service industries

Service industries continued to account for the largest share of consumption in 2016, and their use of district heating accounted for about 3.1 TWh. Twenty-five per cent of the total district heating consumption, or about 1.3 TWh, was supplied to households, while consumption in industry accounted for 17 per cent, or 870 GWh. 

Figure 2. Consumption of district heating by consumer group

Households Manufacturing etc. Services
1992 254 237 540
1993 268 253 557
1994 240 295 596
1995 271 316 598
1996 300 333 665
1997 255 273 753
1998 269 247 861
1999 299 238 971
2000 211 235 1012
2001 300 219 1296
2002 304 282 1346
2003 346 295 1445
2004 381 289 1560
2005 395 300 1655
2006 445 301 1749
2007 512 324 1922
2008 661 326 1930
2009 692 369 2232
2010 1023 473 2804
2011 754 405 2571
2012 913 482 2828
2013 1054 581 3065
2014 967 616 2878
2015 1007 847 2977
2016 1304 870 3072

About half of district heating is generated from waste

The gross production of hot water and steam was 6.3 TWh in 2016. Of this, 394 GWh was used in the production of electricity. In total, net production of district heating was 5.9 TWh. Losses in the distribution net equalled 664 GWh, which means that 5.2 TWh of district heating was supplied to consumers. Please note that the definition of gross production of hot water and steam has changed this year. For more information about the changes please take a look at the information link at the end of the article.

Waste incineration is the main energy source for district heating. In 2016, about 50 per cent of district heating, or 2.8 TWh, was produced from waste. The second largest source of energy was waste wood facilities, with a share of around 21 per cent (1.2 TWh). 

Figure 3. Net production of district heating by type of heat central. 2016

Heat central Percentage
Refuse incineration plant 2755 GWh 46.6
Biofuel 51 GWh 0.9
Oil boilers 66 GWh 1.1
Waste heat 184 GWh 3.1
Gas 258 HWh 4.4
Heat pumps 574 GWh 9.7
Electric boilers784 GWh 13.3
Wood waste1237 GWh 20.9

District cooling

In addition to district heating, some of the plants supply district cooling. Consumption of district cooling came to 182 GWh in 2016; 7.7 per cent higher than the year before. 

Figure 4. Consumption of district cooling

GWh
2003 46
2004 53
2005 63
2006 73
2007 84
2008 99
2009 115
2010 120
2011 136
2012 133
2013 156
2014 169
2015 169
2016 182

Higher price

The average price for district heating increased from 58.0 øre/kWh in 2015 to 65.2 øre/kWh in 2016. For households and the service sector, the average price was 66.9 and 67.6 øre/kWh respectively, but industry was lower, at 43.5 øre/kWh. The price for cooling amounted to 94.5 øre/kWh in 2016, which is 7 per cent higher than 2015.

Increased district heating consumption and higher prices led to higher sales revenues from district heating in 2016. The revenues from district heating increased by 24 per cent compared to 2015 and amounted to NOK 3.3 billion. The revenue from district cooling was NOK 172 million; 15 per cent higher than the year before.

Change in the definition of gross production of hot water and steam 

The term “gross production of hot water and steam” has been changed in the 2016 statistics and for previous years. Previously, this included production of district heating and steam, heat used for electricity production and heat that is not distributed. Heat that is not distributed is mainly heat from waste incineration, which, for various reasons, is cooled without being utilised as district heating. The reason why this was removed from the term “gross production” is that it is not utilised for energy purposes.

Another change in published figures is that waste incinerated without the heat being utilised is now deducted from the fuel consumption in district heating production. Since this is heat that potentially could be utilised, we have chosen to show this as additional memo item information (see tables). The calculation of the waste consumption to be deducted is based on the amount of "heat not distributed" and the ratio between waste consumption and total heat production in refuse incineration plants.

District cooling

Since 2013, the time series on consumption, sales incomes and average price of district cooling have been included in the statistics publication.

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