Increasing end-use energy efficiency and expanding use of renewable energy are generally recognised as key requirements for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG), promoting sustainable development and reducing vulnerability to supply disruptions. Often overlooked is the critical role that District Heating and Cooling (DHC) can play in meeting these goals by reducing fossil fuel consumption by facilitating productive use of waste heat from industrial processes, electricity generation, waste incineration or renewable energy sources. District heating and cooling uses these sources of energy for heating and cooling over a local area, with the heat being transported through a pipeline system. It thus provides an effective system for improving the efficiency of energy use and reducing adverse environmental impacts of energy supply and use. District heating and cooling, including the Integration of combined heat and power, deals with the design, performance and operation of distribution systems and consumer installations. The Agreement is dedicated to helping to make district heating and cooling a powerful tool for energy conservation and the reduction of environmental impacts of supplying heat. The IEA Implementing Agreement on district heating and cooling including CHP recently launched a new call for proposals for Annex IX in Septebmer 2007. The call covered six areas of interest which were:

Policy Analysis for DHC, Improving Pipe Networks, Guidelines for Small Scale (up to 10 MW) District Energy Systems, District Cooling Equipment at the Customer Side, Renewable Energy Sources for District Energy Systems, District Energy in Future Buildings.

IX. Several DHC/CHP projects
* The potential for increased primary energy efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions by DHC * District Heating for Energy Efficient Building Areas * Interaction between District Energy and Future Buildings that have Storage and Intermittent Surplus Energy * Distributed Solar Systems Interfaced to a District Heating System that has Seasonal Storage * Policies and barriers for District Heating and Cooling outside EU countries