The IEA (International Energy Agency) has recently invited 30 experts from Russia, Latvia and Ukraine to a workshop on Municipal Energy Systems and District Heating (DH) in Russia. District Heating & Cooling (DHC), including the integration of combined heat & power (CHP), are important, mature clean energy technologies offering increased energy conversion efficiency, associated greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and opportunities for enhanced energy system security and stability.

The IEA’s Office of Global Energy Dialogue and the Energy Technology Office, including ETO Director Neil Hurst, welcomed members of the Noncommercial Partnership of Russian Heating Suppliers, including Mr. Victor Semenov, the President of this organization, a representative from the Ukrainian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and several district heating experts from West European countries. Participants represented district heating network companies, municipal administrations as well as the Reform Management Center of RAO UES. This was the third workshop hosted by the IEA focusing on district heating in transition economies. According to the agency’s press release, the Russian delegation attending this workshop also participated in tours of local district heating facilities (Dalkia and CPCU).

A large number of municipal energy systems in CIS countries face serious financial, marketing or technical problems. An in-depth study of this was undertaken in the process of preparing the IEA Study “Coming in from the Cold (IEA, 2005). This workshop was a follow up on this book looking at issues such as: How do other countries address district heating issues? What can national and local governments do to create the right conditions for the sustainable development of district heating while improving service quality? How can the economic, environmental and energy security benefits of co-generation and district heating be best captured?