More Than 600 Engineers and Managers from 15 Countries Gather near D.C. for International District Energy Association's 100th Annual Conference

Showcasing Proven Energy Solutions for the 21st Century
--(Business Wire)--
International District Energy Association:

WHAT

Conference and trade show highlights the proven benefits and vast potential of
district energy and combined heat and power (CHP), core energy technologies that
increase energy efficiency, enhance energy security, help the environment, and
can improve our nation's infrastructure and create quality jobs today - not
years from now. The conference theme is "District Energy/CHP 2009: Local Energy,
Global Solution."

With or without a climate change bill, the district energy and CHP industry will
press on, continuing to save energy in communities and campuses nationwide,
learning from successful national and international systems already in
operation.

When
June 28-July 1, 2009

Media Opportunities
Hear speakers real-time or conduct followup interviews.
Mon., June 29, 8:15 a.m.

* National policy - how the climate bill played out and what it means. A
perspective from Phil Sharp, president of Washington`s oldest think tank on
energy and environmental issues, and former 11-term Congressman from Indiana.
* International perspective - Olivier Barbaroux`s Paris-based Veolia
Energy-Dalkia operates 800 district energy systems whose mission is to save
energy and reduce CO2 emissions at every point in the supply chain. He`ll
address what his $11.9 billion company has learned in Europe and what can work
here.
* Combined heat and power - Tom Casten, chairman of Recycled Energy Development
Ltd., promotes CHP plants as a way to lower carbon dioxide emissions and save
money: "We simply cannot curb global warming without doubling power generation
efficiency. That efficiency is the elephant in the room." "Separate generation
of electricity and heat is utter madness."

Mon., June 29, 9:40 a.m.

* What`s next on road to Copenhagen? Sabine Froning, managing director, Euroheat
& Power, Brussels-based organization that supports district heating and cooling
and CHP in Europe. "European policy makers have gotten used to putting the
greatest focus on infrastructure to increase and diversify energy imports,
rather than on infrastructure like district heating and cooling that not only
avoids energy imports but also creates new jobs…"

Also on site and available for interviews are heads of district energy systems
featuring

* deep lake water cooling (Enwave in Toronto; Cornell University)
* biomass use (District Energy St. Paul; Seattle Steam Co.)
* combined heat and power (Consolidated Edison of New York; District Energy St.
Paul; Cornell University)

Incoming chairman Juan Ontiveros, executive director of utilities and energy
management at University of Texas at Austin, one of nation`s largest
universities, also available for interviews:

* Heads up one of largest combined heat and power systems at any U.S.
institution
* Has led drive for energy conservation, resulting in $170 million worth of
energy saved
* Has overseen campus expansion of 18 million sq ft while increasing energy use
only 2 percent, accomplishing nearly carbon-neutral growth
* Has $90 million worth of utility construction under way, with projects slated
for completion in 2010 expected to return UT Austin to 1977 fuel consumption and
emissions levels
* Father immigrated from Mexico
* First in family to go to college

Where

Hyatt Regency Crystal City
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Va.
703-418-1234

Media Access

Full media access. Photographers and TV crews welcome. Obtain complimentary
media pass with credentials at registration desk in Independence Foyer. Digital
and hard copy media kits available at registration desk. Full program
downloadable at http://tinyurl.com/DEConference2009.

Additional Notes

What is district energy? District energy is an efficient, environmentally
responsible method of heating and cooling buildings. Steam, hot water or chilled
water is produced in a central plant and transmitted 24/7 via underground pipes
to customer buildings. The heating and cooling energy is transferred to the
building`s heating and air conditioning system, eliminating the need for on-site
boilers, chillers and cooling towers. A short video about this technology is at
http://www.districtenergy.org/DE_How_It_Works.wmv.

What is combined heat and power (CHP)? Combined heat and power is a proven,
effective technology to increase the efficiency of power plants. Standard power
plants effectively convert just 40 percent of the fuel they burn into useful
electricity; the remainder is wasted up a smokestack or into waterways as
surplus heat. CHP systems recover and use this surplus heat to heat and/or cool
nearby buildings through a district energy system.

International District Energy Association - With headquarters outside of Boston,
Mass., the 1,200-plus-member IDEA was founded in 1909 and comprises district
heating and cooling executives, managers, engineers, consultants and equipment
suppliers from 25 countries. Its core mission is to support the growth and
utilization of district energy as a means to conserve fuel and increase energy
efficiency to improve the global environment. During its 100 years of operation,
the association has held a conference every year except 1918 when it was
cancelled because of World War I. For more on IDEA, go to
www.districtenergy.org.

Westerlund Communications Inc.
Monica Westerlund, 612-590-2324
mlw@westerlund.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009