With the Baltic Sea just around the corner and spring finally arriving, the INTREPIDH consortium gathered in Rostock on 22–23 April 2026 for the project’s final curiosity workshop. Hosted at Haus des Bauens und der Umwelt by the Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock, Workshop 3 marked an important milestone: turning shared insights into concrete, actionable pathways for accelerating the use of process heat based on district heating.
Mapping the potential for cities
The first day set the scene with a deep dive into Rostock’s local context. Representatives from the municipality outlined the city’s heat planning journey, ongoing transformation challenges, and the strategic role of district heating. This was followed by a clear framing of why process heat based on district heating matters for cities, highlighting its potential to reduce emissions, strengthen local energy systems, and create win-win solutions for municipalities, utilities, and industry.
Understanding municipal involvement
From there, the workshop quickly moved into what INTREPIDH does best: structured exchange and hands-on collaboration. Through open discussions and breakout groups, participants worked on three themes that shaped the backbone of the workshop:
- How can municipalities include process heat based on district heating in their strategic energy planning
- How can municipalities become facilitators that successfully connect district heating companies with local industry?
- What concrete roles can energy agencies, clusters, and similar actors play in supporting this process?
Across plenary discussions, group work, and peer-review rounds, recurring themes emerged. The project team and external guests stressed the importance of early dialogue, dedicated contact persons, reliable data on heat demand and supply, and neutral facilitators who can bridge interests between industry, district heating companies, and public authorities. Municipalities can often take on the role of the neutral facilitators. Timing, trust, and clear communication are decisive factors for then moving from ideas to implementation.
Outlook – keeping the topic hot
Day two looked forward. Building on the intensive exchanges from the workshops and webinars, the INTREPIDH team outlined how to further grow awareness and knowledge after the project formally ends. The message was clear: success stories and good arguments already exist, networks, and practical guidance must continue to highlight the potential of process heat based on district heating.
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