District Heating

• This article details the costs, benefits, and feasibility of centralized hot water heating systems as a climate solution that saves money and reduces emissions, especially if they're powered by renewable energy.
  
• Students will learn about district heating, which involves a network of pipes that can heat multiple buildings from one location, and the sources of energy that can be used to heat the water. 
• Renewable district heating could save trillions of dollars in energy costs by 2050 while simultaneously reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Positives

• This article examines two adoption scenarios for renewable district heating.
• Credible international agencies are cited in this article.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should understand where carbon dioxide emissions come from and how they contribute to climate change.
• Students should have a basic understanding of biomass, solar, and geothermal energy.
  

Differentiation

• Students could use this article for an informative essay on technological solutions to climate change.
• For this article, teachers could go over the main idea of key paragraphs in order to ensure comprehension.
• Students could read this article and look at the Table of Solutions to see how it ranks as a climate solution compared to other energy solutions.
• Students could use this article to prepare for an in-class discussion on why most countries continue to heavily rely on fossil fuels, what steps are needed to increase the adoption of renewable energy solutions, and how the costs and benefits can be accounted for.
  
• Some students may benefit from a graphic organizer, such as a compare/contrast chart or guided notes, in order to facilitate comprehension.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.