Analysis and design of a district energy system

District energy feasibility studies require knowledge of peak energy demands, average annual energy demands as well as demand profiles of all the buildings under consideration. In this thesis, house design heating loads, and peak and annual heating demands were estimated for 15 model houses, on the basis of number of storeys and vintage. Estimated heating profiles from the model houses were used to conduct a district energy system feasibility study for a hypothetical rural community in Nova Scotia.; District energy system economics were evaluated for a reciprocating engine based cogeneration plant and a biomass heating plant. It was found that for this hypothetical community, the cogeneration district energy system requires more capital investment as compare to a biomass district heating system, but capital cost can be recovered from a cogeneration system in shorter time than a biomass district heating system.; In the cogeneration district energy system, community electricity and heating fuel costs would decrease by 51%, whereas in biomass district energy system community heating fuel costs would decrease by 63%. Also, the cogeneration district energy system would have 60% less and biomass district energy would have 36% less greenhouse gas emissions as compare to a conventional system.