District Heating Toolkit

As the world transitions towards sustainable energy solutions, transforming district heating systems becomes crucial. The heating & cooling sector is responsible for a central partof the European Union’s energy demand, representing roughly half of final energy consumption. As the window for action to stay below the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement is rapidly closing, it is now especially crucial that larger energy infrastructure be decarbonised soon.

Thus, this toolkit comes as a guide for all those pursuing a bottom-up approach to just transition away from coal, peat, lignite, and oil shale in their regions. It serves with practical insights into district heating transformation and underscores the importance of a holistic and forward-thinking approach.

The Toolkit

This toolkit is designed for stakeholders involved in district heating transformation, including policymakers, urban planners, and energy professionals. It offers actionable insights to navigate the complexities of transitioning from traditional heating systems to sustainable alternatives. The primary goal is to provide guidance on decarbonizing district heating systems. It overviews the technology options available to support decarbonising DH networks, the roles these networks play in decarbonisation and future heat supply. It also showcases possible measures and good practice examples. 

Moreover, it explores the five-step model proposed by the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition, emphasizing the need for sufficiency – as a guiding principle – in sustainable heat planning.

It encourages a holistic approach that goes beyond technological aspects and aims to reduce the demand side of heating and cooling systems.

Five-Step Model for District Heating Decarbonization 

The five-step model proposed by the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition involves: 

1. Sufficiency: reduce energy demand 
2. Efficiency: minimise energy losses,  implement low-temperature networks, LowEx concepts, thermal storage, improved building envelopes, pipe insulation, Combined Heat and Power (CHP), and digitalization
3. Local renewable heat sources: increase the use of local renewable heat sources
4. Power-to-heat: use local renewable heat sources like heat pumps and electric/electrode boilers, especially during times of high renewable electricity availability.
5. Alternative energy carriers: cover residual heat demand, use biomass, biogas/biomethane, green hydrogen, and renewable synthetic gases to meet any remaining heat demand

Cost-Efficiency

The guide recognises the importance of a strategic approach to meet climate goals and enhance cost-effectiveness beyond technological aspects. The proposed five-step model and the focus on sufficiency provide a roadmap for stakeholders to navigate this transition successfully. By combining renewable energy sources, efficiency improvements, and sufficiency principles, coal-based districts can move towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future. 

 

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