According to the International District Energy Association, demands for air conditioning currently create 50-70% of electricity demand. The International Energy Agency estimates that it accounts for about 10% of global electricity consumption, and remains a “critical blind spot” in today’s energy debate.
Tabreed is a national central cooling company that currently delivers over 1 million refrigeration tons of cooling across 75 plants in the Middle East. In February of 2019, Tabreed placed sensors throughout the regions in an attempt to further cool one of the hottest places on earth, all while improving the sustainability of their operations.
For countries in the Middle East, where the climate is often hot and dry, district cooling systems are preferred over standard air conditioning. Firms like Tabreed are able to cool water in bulk, often using cheaper night-time power. That cool water is then distributed to homes and buildings across 73 networks during the day, when heat is at its peak, where the chill of the water is then extracted and circulated. By aggregating the cooling need of a network of buildings, district cooling helps balance electrical loads, lower fuel costs, and drive efficiency. This process is 50% more efficient than having air conditioning in each building and cuts the Middle East’s carbon footprint by 986,750 tons a year.
Sensors will help cut that footprint even more.
By tracking more than 30,000 data streams from eight different district cooling plants, the PI System is helping Tabreed get a better read on energy usage, pinpointing ways to keep cool air flowing while simultaneously reducing energy usage. This will allow Tabreed to lower costs while maximizing the quality of the service it provides.
Read more about how the PI System is helping to cool the Middle East while minimizing environmental impact.
Source: Smart Energy International