Abstract

CARRASCO VIDAL, Rudy; JIMENEZ DEL RIO, Jorge  and  MARDONES POBLETE, Cristian. Cost-benefit analysis of district heating in central Chile. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.1, pp.35-45. ISSN 0188-4999.

Residential wood burning in low efficiency heaters is primarily responsible for the high concentrations of particulate matter observed in cities of south-central Chile. In this study, a cost-benefit analysis was performed for assessing biomass-based district heating as an alternative for reducing particulate matter emissions. The results show that district heating is a feasible alternative for the replacement of individual wood heaters, and generates environmental benefits that exceed the costs of investment and operation. The annual average of particulate matter levels would decrease by 5.5 μg/m3, which implies a benefit of 64.7 thousand dollars per ton reduced. However, the results show that when 70 % of the homes are connected to district heating, this system becomes competitive with current alternatives of residential heating.

Keywords : residential heating; particulate matter; biomass.

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