Transformation of existing urban district heating and cooling systems from fossil to renewable energy sources

Solutions developed

The implementation of district heating and cooling (DHC) systems based on renewable energy sources (RES) is a solution that is spreading, particularly among small communities in search of energy independence. The solution is based on the idea of using local heating and cooling sources that under normal circumstances would have been lost. The EU-funded RES-DHC project will develop the solutions and instruments needed to implement the EU Renewable Energy Directive II (2018/2001), which requires a yearly increase of RES in DHC by 1 %. The project will assist in the transformation of existing urban DHC systems in six countries: Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, France and Switzerland.

Main results

RES-DHC project aims to transform urban DHC systems to renewable energy sources in six regions through close-to-market implementation by regional stakeholders, focusing on strategy planning, capacity building, legal improvements, and market support. It emphasizes sector coupling and low-grade heat sources, with transnational support from expert partners to address market uptake challenges such as large-scale RES integration, stakeholder engagement, and assessing legal, environmental, economic, and social impacts.