ABB to boost energy efficiency in Shangri-La with district heating system
The implementation of Shangri-La County district heating project, shifting from inefficient coal-fired stoves to one coherent district heating system will not only protect the ecological environment but also promote the local economic development as well as improve the quality of people's life. The heating solution will set up a new standard for energy efficient heat production in China.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, is to supply a complete district heating system to Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Heat Development Co., Ltd. of Development & Investment Group (DHDC) in Shangri-La in the Himalayas, China. The district heating system was commissioned in the 3 quarter of 2015. The order is worth $26 million and was booked in the first quarter of 2014.

Shangri-La, formerly known as an earthly paradise, is hidden under a blanket of severe destroy of environment and air pollution from the dispatched stoves that are the primary source of heat among its 50,000 residents. Now the air pollution will be substantially reduced and the protection of the local ecological environment is promoted, by introducing district heating in five districts in Shangri-La.

These five areas are partially financed through DANIDA’s mixed credit program, a development program under the Danish Government.

“Denmark has a unique position within energy efficient and environmental friendly district heating which this order also proves. District heating has been recognized as a huge enabler to reduce CO2-emssion by using surplus heat from power production”, says Claus Madsen, Country Manager of ABB in Denmark.

ABB will supply the equipment from the steam to water heat exchanger in the boiler room, to the end user installation including electrical and mechanical equipment needed to supply sufficient heat to the citizens. ABB's automation and electrical solution interconnects and monitors the new heating plants for maximum efficiency, which will help to provide a safe, reliable source of heat for about 50,000 residents. In addition, ABB will supply air-source heat pumps to move from individual heat-only boilers and stoves to boilers based on electricity. The pumps will boost the system's energy efficiency and help improve quality of life substantially by reducing coal-fired emissions.

Daily temperatures in Shangri-La can vary quite dramatically in winter, from as extremely low as minus 27 to one degree Celsius. To ensure that the needs of the residents are met, five local SCADA-systems communicates with a central control and monitoring system in order to deliver enough heat in the most efficient way.

The shift from the use of stoves to the district heating systems will provide substantial environmental benefits by reducing CO2 emissions by 105,000 tonnes a year and 460 tonnes of dust a year thus, among others, saving 17,000 tonnes of coal each year.

The project is handled in collaboration between ABB in Denmark and ABB in China. Denmark is a world leader in district heating systems with an annual export of USD 855 million expected to grow by a factor three within 2020. Thus, ABB in Denmark is the Centre of Competence for ABB’s global district heating business.