The project “Best Available Technology & Planning” has demonstrated over the last year how modern heat planning and state-of-the-art technologies can accelerate the green heating transition in Barden-Württemberg, Germany.
CO2-free projects in Baden-Württemberg have been boosted through inspiration from Denmark, based on:
- Develop: Holistic Approach to Heat Planning
- Inspire: 4 x mini documentaries highlighting Best Available Technologies & Planning for a CO-2 free district heating delivery
- Discuss: German-Danish workshops to boost district heating development
- Disseminate: Webinars to inspire a larger group of stakeholders and other cities
Develop: Holistic Approach to Heat Planning
Rheinstetten, a small to medium-sized town with approximately 20,000 inhabitants and no current district heating system, was selected for a review of its existing heating plan to assess how it could be further developed using a holistic approach. The consulting engineering company Planenergy used the 4-step plan to evaluate the heat plan:
- Prepare the foundations/baseline
- Mapping of the needed heat in each area of the town and identifying local heat sources
- Scenario analyses
- Plan and implementation
The short conclusion for Rheinstetten is that a more detailed plan for heat sources will be needed. The most optimal economic solution would be to cooperate with the nearby Stadtwerke Karlsruhe and buy the heat from them.
This opportunity should be thoroughly investigated and made possible with the support of KEA-BW, the energy agency of BW. Also, a local district heating distribution company should be established, either a consumer-owned cooperative company or a municipal-owned company. In both cases, the municipality should take the lead in supporting the organizational set-up and commit large municipal buildings to be connected to a new district heating network.
There is a need to develop a step-by-step development plan for the full-scale future district heating network, from the first large buildings to the last buildings that should be connected.
Inspire: 4 expert mini-documentaries highlight the Best Available Technology and Planning for a fossil-free District Heating Network
4 videos have been developed to showcase how good planning and best available technology are cornerstones in establishing a future-proof fossil-free district heating network.
See videos here: 4 Expert Videos Show Cutting-Edge DH Technology | DBDH
Planenergi demonstrates how local authorities can develop structured heat plans that identify areas where district heating is feasible, outline the phasing out of gas and oil heating, and integrate renewable and surplus heat sources.
Logstor explains why pre-insulated pipes, compliant with EN 253, are essential for minimizing heat loss. Featuring Bremen’s city-wide system, the video compares pipe types and insulation classes, highlighting lifecycle cost savings and system durability.
Aalborg CSP explains how PTES stores seasonal heat via low-cost electricity and renewables, ensuring flexible and cost-efficient district heating with high COP heat pumps.
Danfoss reveals how the utility of Sonderborg operates over 800 km of DH pipes using innovative tools to give real-time monitoring, flexible heat sources, and intelligent load management, enabling a smart, low-carbon heat grid using LEAN HEAT NETWORK.
Discuss: German-Danish workshops on District Heating to boost DH development
Getting local and regional stakeholders together is the key to developing local district heating. Two workshops with a focus on transitioning from Heat Planning to Implementation were held as part of this project to stimulate local cooperation and promote further district heating initiatives, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and decrease natural gas usage.
In Sindelfingen, DBDH organized a workshop in cooperation with VKU and Städtetag, representing municipal enterprises and cities in Baden-Württemberg, and invited key decision-makers from utilities and municipalities to attend. Best practice from Germany and Denmark was presented with a focus on what cities/municipalities can do to support local CO2-free heating.
In Ettlingen, DBDH organized a workshop in cooperation with the local energy agency Umwelt- und Energieagentur Landkreis Karlsruhe (UEA). This event focused on turning municipal heat plans into concrete DH projects and topics like “Role allocation between municipalities, utilities, and communities”; “Financing models such as cooperatives and municipal guarantees”, “Regulatory hurdles and technical challenges”, and “Digital tools and efficient network expansion” were discussed. The workshop led to future meetings that will help local municipalities and utilities accelerate the development of CO2-free heating solutions.
Disseminate: Inspire and engage larger groups of stakeholders
The final part of the project focused on inspiring and engaging a broader group of stakeholders in BW, enabling them to learn from and be inspired by the project’s stakeholders. Two webinars, attended by more than 50 participants from cities and utilities, presented models for developing new district heating systems, including financing and organizational aspects. Additionally, the importance of using the Total Cost of Ownership model when selecting technologies was discussed.