Communities large and small plan extensively for future transportation and water, sewer, and other urban needs but rarely for heat supply. Although extensive planning is done for future power needs, heat supply planning has been left to individual building owners, developers, and design professionals. In Europe, community and regional heat supply planning has been common since the 1970s. Local communities need to establish a community heating plan, ideally with the input and cooperation of state and federal agencies and public utilities. Such a plan would address not only heating fuels and environmental impacts but would explore ways to provide low-cost universal service, improve safety, and expand use of existing heat sources.

KEYWORDS: year 1996, cogeneration, heating, energy, planning, USA, environment