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2.4 Case study: transitioning a city district to a renewable heating network
Case study
Case Study 3: Transitioning a City District to a Renewable Heating Network
A medium-sized European city currently relies heavily on natural gas for residential heating. Following recent energy price spikes and concerns about supply security, the municipality decides to replace much of its gas-based heating system with a fifth-generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC) network. The system combines heat pumps, waste heat from local industries, heat from local wastewater treatment plants, geothermal heat, heat from data centers, thermal storage, and renewable electricity.
The project requires significant upfront investment, but studies indicate that it will reduce long-term heating costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels. The city also introduces energy-efficiency measures in buildings to reduce overall heat demand. To ensure social acceptance, financial support is provided for low-income households to connect to the network.
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