Transformation Pathways for Clean District Heating & Cooling
District heating and cooling systems are at the heart of Europe’s clean energy transition. To meet climate targets and the requirements of the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, DHC operators need clear transformation pathways that connect long-term strategies with concrete investment decisions.
The event, “Transformation Pathways for Clean District Heating & Cooling ”, organised within the framework of the SupportDHC project, will explore the current state and future direction of the European DHC market, from policy frameworks and investment needs to practical implementation pathways. The event will showcase the experience gained through the Support DHC project, which has supported 10 DHC operators across 6 European countries in developing transformation and investment plans for the integration of low-grade renewable energy sources and waste heat.
A part of the programme will highlight the experiences of six frontrunner cases, demonstrating different approaches to decarbonising district heating systems:
- Frankfurt (Germany) – Unlocking waste heat from data centres
- Poland – Recovering energy through flue-gas condensation
- Italy – Decarbonisation planning for 3 Italian DHC systems
- Kaunas & Alytus (Lithuania) – Technical pathways towards climate-neutral heat
- Kapfenberg (Austria) – Planning the next generation of heat supply
- Lviv (Ukraine) – Building resilience through geothermal and waste heat
The event will also present concrete tools, methodologies and lessons developed within Support DHC to support DHC operators in planning their transformation processes. From stakeholder engagement and heat source identification to investment planning and implementation support, the project has created approaches that can be replicated across European heating markets.
By bringing together experiences from different regions and system contexts, the event will explore what Europe can learn from successful transformation processes and how cooperation between operators, cities, policymakers and technology providers can accelerate the decarbonisation of the heating sector.
Concrete agenda coming soon:
09:00 - 09:30 Welcome coffee
09:30 - 10:30 Session 1
10:30 - 11:30 - Coffee break
11:30 - 12:30 - Session 2
12:30 - 13:00 - Panel Discussion
This event will take place ahead of the Euroheat & Power Summit 2026. Please note that registration for this event does not grant access to the Summit, which requires a separate registration.
Disclaimer
The Support DHC project (contract no. 101119914) is co-funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
