District cooling to create major environmental benefits to kingdom of Bahrain

The company has estimated that for every 10,000 tons of district cooling provided the amount of CO2 emissions would be reduced by 14,700 metric tons annually.

The estimate comes as Tabreed Bahrain plans for the provision of up to 450,000 tons of district cooling to the Manama North Shore for new and existing developments by 2030.

Tabreed Bahrain is also pioneering the use of seawater for its district cooling projects that are underway. These include Bahrain Financial Harbour, Bahrain World Trade Centre, the Diplomatic area and Reef Island. In an arid desert climate like Bahrain the company cannot use or rely upon other sources of water for the operation of cooling systems and has therefore developed technology that will use renewable sea water resources.

Bahrain is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, but with the country currently reaching very high per capita CO2 emissions, measured at 35 tons in 2002, there is a growing need for technology that can reduce emissions.

The potential savings that can be brought through district cooling would be the equivalent of BD140m between now and 2030 if traded on European carbon emission markets at current prices.

Bernt Andersson, Chief Executive Officer, Tabreed Bahrain, said:

"One of the clear benefits of district cooling is the benefits it can bring to the environment through lower emissions of harmful CO2 and CFC refrigerants that are produced by mainstream chillers used in existing cooling systems. Refrigerants contribute the equivalent of 725 tons of emissions every year in Bahrain. Without the use of energy and environmentally efficient district cooling systems to manage the massive new project development in Bahrain there will otherwise be a very significant increase in emissions that will damage the environment."

Mr. Andersson says that district cooling systems, such as those being introduced by Tabreed Bahrain, help the environment through both increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental emissions including air pollution, greenhouse gases and ozone destroying refrigerants.

"District cooling can be a key strategy for accomplishing an economical and environmentally sound phasing out of harmful refrigerants. District cooling systems use ozone-friendly refrigerants and are better able to control the emissions of whatever refrigerant is used," explained the Tabreed Bahrain Chief Executive.

In addition to the environmental benefits the company has estimated that district cooling can reduce peak power demand across the country by up to 65 per cent - and offer major savings in the requirements for electricity from both the public and private sector.

Experts at Tabreed Bahrain also forecast that district cooling systems - long-term infrastructure projects that can provide chilled air for buildings in a whole district from one energy efficient central plant - will play an increasingly important role in the long term development of the country.

District cooling systems can benefit existing as well as new developments - with the capacity to bring major savings to private property owners - and also free up roof space for other projects and additional purposes.