Denver Explores Sewage Heating for Buildings as Fossil Fuels Drive Its No. 1 Emissions Source
Updated
Updated · NPR · May 20
Denver Explores Sewage Heating for Buildings as Fossil Fuels Drive Its No. 1 Emissions Source
9 articles · Updated · NPR · May 20
Denver is testing whether sewage can help heat and cool buildings without fossil fuels, targeting the city sector that produces its largest share of greenhouse gas emissions.
Building heating and cooling drive that problem because offices and high-rises consume large amounts of fossil fuel energy, making decarbonizing buildings central to Denver's climate strategy.
The sewage-based approach reflects a search for lower-emission alternatives to conventional systems, using an overlooked urban waste stream as a potential energy source.
If the idea proves workable at scale, it could offer Denver and other cities a new path to cut building emissions without relying on traditional fossil-fuel heating.
Denver is betting its climate goals on electric heat pumps, but can its power grid handle the massive surge in demand?
With ambitious climate deadlines, can Denver train enough skilled workers to avoid a green-tech installation bottleneck?
Denver's rules force building owners to go electric. What happens to those who simply cannot afford the mandatory switch?