Heating and cooling accounts for around half of the energy consumed in the European Union. Despite significant measures to reduce demand, residential, tertiary and industrial buildings still need heat and cold. Greater flexibility through energy system integration and the deployment of renewables and waste heat in District Heating and Cooling (DHC) networks will contribute to delivering sustainable heating and cooling and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 while not impacting visually on the landscape.

Five EU-funded R&D projects (HYPERGRYD, Bio-FlexGen, W.E. District, REWARDHeat and SENERGY NETS) are joining forces to further increase the good momentum around DHC, supporting the transition towards more efficient, lower temperature and highly renewable thermal grids. While developing advanced technologies for DHC, these projects are investigating barriers and opportunities at the policy level.

The main findings, among them a recently published joint policy paper, will be discussed during a 90 minutes workshop which will take place on 28 May 2024. Two key note speeches given by Madis Laaniste, Policy Officer, DG ENER, European Commission and András Takács from Euroheat &Power will frame the topic and report about the needs and expectations of the lawmakers and of the supply sector (DHC utilities, R&D bodies and planners). The main findings of the joint policy paper will be then discussed in a round table session.