Get on track with your district heating plans!

Decarbonising heating and cooling systems are crucial to achieving Europe’s climate and energy objectives. The Energy Efficiency Directive (2023) mandates that municipalities with populations over 45,000 must prepare local heating and cooling plans. These plans must align with broader climate, energy, and environmental strategies to minimise administrative burdens and facilitate their effective implementation. The Directive also encourages collaboration between neighbouring municipalities, enabling the development of tailored solutions based on regional characteristics and infrastructure.

In this context, the Covenant of Mayors and the PLAN4CET project have joined forces to provide local authorities with the knowledge needed to develop effective district heating and cooling plans. The webinar is part of the PLAN4CET Transition Experts Programme, designed to enhance skills for the energy transition. The event will bring together policymakers, experts, and practitioners to discuss innovative solutions, share best practices, and explore strategies for advancing sustainable heating and cooling systems at the local level.

Agenda

10:30 – Welcome and introduction

10:40 – Key elements on the legislation on DHC for local authorities

10:55 – #CitiesHeatDetox

11:05 – Barriers and solutions for heat pump roll-out in EU cities

11:15 – CoM-stories: District Heating measures in Dublin

11:25 – CoM-stories: District Heating in Lyon

11:35 – Q&A

12:00 – End of the event

This webinar is jointly organised by the Covenant of Mayors and PLAN4CET.

The EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, a 15-year initiative supported by the European Commission, brings together thousands of local governments committed to building a sustainable future. Central to its success is its role in aligning different levels of governance and supporting their contributions to the implementation of the European Green Deal.

PLAN4CET is a European project that helps regions and cities design and implement Clean Energy Transition (CET) plans tailored to their specific needs and contexts. PLAN4CET partners developed the capacity building webinar series “Transition Expert” to support a cross-sectorial approach to the energy transition amongst local administrations and professionals.