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District Heating Connecting Demand & Supply
District heating and cooling works best when it’s not treated as an either–or choice, but as a smart combination of solutions. In this issue of Hot Cool, we look at how innovation below ground (trenchless construction), better performance inside buildings (data and demand side collaboration), and new approaches to financing can accelerate decarbonisation.
We also explore why thermal energy storage is becoming strategic infrastructure, how district heating can serve process industry needs, and how integrated modelling supports better investment decisions. The common thread is deliberate, strategic mix-and-match—choosing what works, and often choosing it all. Read the preface here →
District heating brings value to the process industry
By Hanne Kortegaard Støchkel, Project Development Manager and Florian Kirchmann, Student Assistant, DBDH
District heating can deliver valuable process heat to industry—often replacing natural gas in hot water processes and supporting higher temperatures through hybrid solutions and high temperature heat pumps. This creates a win win win: lower and more stable heat costs for industry, improved utilisation for district heating systems, and faster local decarbonisation for society. Based on 12 operational cases from five countries collected in the INTREPIDH project, the article explains why now is the time to explore the opportunity. Read the analysis from the INTREPIDH project here →
Creating a real connection between demand and supply
By Bjarne Sig Halkjær, Head of Growth Product Management at Kamstrup
District heating is entering a new phase where system performance increasingly depends on what happens inside buildings—not only on production. As networks move to lower temperatures and integrate decentralised heat sources (surplus heat, heat pumps, solar thermal, geothermal), utilities need stronger demand-side visibility to improve return temperatures, stability, and long-term optimisation. While regulation does not yet require building-level transparency, policy trends suggest expectations may grow. Early movers investing in data, digitalisation, and collaboration can improve efficiency, resilience, and readiness. Read the article now →
Thermal Energy Storage: Ireland’s strategic advantage in a renewable power system
By John O’Shea, Senior Energy Systems Analyst / Heat & Electricity Lead, Codema – Dublin’s Energy Agency
Ireland’s energy transition needs more than renewables—it needs flexibility. In this article, Codema’s HeatNEWS research shows how thermal energy storage (TES) in district heating networks can shift demand to low-carbon, low-price periods, reduce renewable curtailment, and support the grid. The analysis also finds large-scale tank TES can be dramatically cheaper and more space-efficient than battery storage, while relying on abundant materials like water and steel—making it a strategic asset for a renewable power system. Read the analysis here →
Are we on track to decarbonise residential heating and cooling in the EU?
By Duncan Sutherland, Project Manager and Thomas Barquin, Heating Specialist, LCP Delta
At today’s pace, fossil fuels could still supply 36% of EU residential heating in 2050. This article argues the missing piece isn’t technology—heat pumps, district heating, geothermal and solar thermal already exist—but affordable financing. Drawing on LCP Delta research across seven EU countries, it highlights the scale of investment needed, the policy levers that can unlock private capital, and the opportunity to redirect fossil-fuel subsidies. The transition can also deliver net household savings. Read the article →
District heating pipelines without trenching
By Per Skafte, CEO BRUGG PIPES, Denmark
Modern district heating expansion is hitting a wall in dense cities: roads, railways, waterways, and existing utilities make open-cut trenches costly and disruptive. This article explains how Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) enables trenchless pipe installation beneath obstacles—reducing traffic disruption, shortening build time, and lowering surface restoration costs. It also outlines the HDD process (pilot bore, reaming, pull-in), planning requirements, suitable pipe systems, and real case examples from Solingen and Chemnitz. Read the article from Brugg Pipes here →
Member Company Profile: Ea Energy Analyses
District Heating Thermal Storage – Robust investment decisions through integrated modelling
Ea Energy Analyses supports district heating utilities with robust investment decisions through integrated modelling. By combining Balmorel (energy system optimisation) with PFC Pro (dynamic infrastructure simulation) together with NXITY, the approach links system economics with real-world network behaviour. It helps validate strategies for new production, network upgrades and thermal storage—ensuring solutions are both cost-efficient and technically feasible, while strengthening risk assessment and operational insight. Read the Member Company Profile now →
We hope these insights spark new ideas, collaborations, and actions. The tools are here – now it’s time to implement.
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