References in Heat Planning
We have been involved in municipal heat planning for more than 5 years. Starting with the heat plan for the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock in 2020, we have supported numerous municipalities and districts in heat planning all over Germany. Here you will find an excerpt of our references.
What sets us apart
We are an engineering service provider specializing in municipal heating planning, cooling planning and transformation of district energy. Our focus is on strategic energy planning towards net zero.
We assist you through energy transition – from stakeholder analysis, communication strategy, structured data collection, data analysis, numericical calculations and strategy development all the way to presentation to committees and the public. We contribute our combined expertise and guide you stress-free through the heat or energy planning process. Trust in our long-term experience.
Projects
Heat plans for 1.4 million citizens
Project area
6 Federal States of Germany
Decentralized Supply
You currently do not have a heating network. At the same time, operating a heating network appears uneconomical for you. A conversion of the gas network to biomethane and hydrogen is not planned. Therefore, you must take care of replacing your heating system yourself.
Gas Network Test Area
This area is designated as a test area for green gases, such as biomethane. In the coming years, the conditions under which continued operation of the natural gas network and a conversion to biomethane are possible will be examined.
District Heating Expansion
This area is prioritized for district heating expansion. Please refer to the heat plan for information on the timeline for expansion.
Existing District Heating
This area is already supplied with district heating and is intended to continue providing efficient heat via the heating network in the future.
Heat Network Test Area
Due to the structural conditions, operating a heating network can be economical. To allow local stakeholders the opportunity for implementation, the area is designated as a test area. This classification must be reviewed as part of the update.
What is Heat Planning?
Heat planning is a data-driven exercise to determine pathways on how a specific municipality can implement a climate-neutral heat supply by a given target year. Heat planning is the basis to establish a climate-friendly and cost-efficient heat supply – area-wide, resilient, independent and future-proof.
We provide a comprehensive and widely proven methodology for heat planning or combined heat and cooling planning to assist municipalities in strategic decision making.
Heat planning is usually based on examination of heat demand, heat demand densities, their evolution over time, a check for existing infrastructure (district energy / gas grid) and an evaluation of local potentials of renewable energies and waste heat. However, we take a step further…
We go the Extra Mile
We provide an area-wide suitability check for ground-source and air-source heat pumps on the building-specific level, including noise indication for an entire municipality. This ensures that decentralized heat supply is possible.Â
The expansion of district energy is a central measure to decarbonize densely populated urban areas. We not only consider the necessity of district heating from consumer side, but we also make sure there is enough renewable potential to supply district heating.
Cost indication and cost comparison of different heat supply roots help us to ensure following the most cost-efficient approach from an early stage.
How does Heat Planning Work?
We begin the heat planning process with an initial meeting with our clients to address their vision and existing plans, and to identify stakeholders and contact persons through a stakeholder analysis. We coordinate the stakeholder engagement, communication strategy, and timeline.
The substantive development of the heat plan is generally divided into four phases: the inventory analysis, the potential analysis, the development of target and interim target scenarios including a heat transition strategy, and the finalization of the heat plan. As these service phases largely build upon each other, processing is predominantly sequential. Depending on accessible data, the inventory and potential analyses can also be processed in parallel.
Accompanying the heat planning process is comprehensive stakeholder and public participation. Early and holistic involvement not only fosters acceptance but also aids in subsequent implementation.
Digital Twin
For cost reasons and to improve the possibilities for data use by our customers, we do not use third-party solutions/digital twins in a subscription model for heat planning.
We rely on our own system and enable our clients to transfer data barrier-free and free of charge, allowing for the integrative continuation of planning.
Theta Q
We maintain our own GIS through the heat planning process and use common open-source solutions such as QGIS for this purpose. Our own add-in, THETA Q, allows us and our customers to perform heat planning analyses and simulations directly in QGIS.
Alternatively, data can be exported in common exchange formats such as Shapefile or Geopackage in order to implement the data and results from heat planning into existing GIS systems. Free of charge – as a result of heat planning.
Climate Dashboard: For Fewer Barriers in Climate Communication
Services
Here you will find an overview of our services in the field of heat planning or combined cooling and heat planning.
Heat Planning
We handle the complete heat planning, from communication and data collection to reporting. We would be pleased if you include us in your tender process.
Cooling Planning or Combined Heat and Cooling Planning
We create a cooling plan for you or support you with combined heat and cooling planning.
Potential Studies
Do you need an assessment of energy potentials, such as lake thermal energy, river thermal energy, waste heat, and geothermal energy, or do you require a comprehensive analysis of the suitability of air and ground source heat pumps?
Climate Dashboard
Accessible and permanently available information platform for the municipal energy transition and especially for heat planning.
Public Engagement
We fully organize, moderate, or take over formats for stakeholder and public participation.
Strategic Support for the Heat Transition
The heat plan is complete. What now? We accompany you as a strategic partner through the heat transition and continuously provide advisory support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) in Terms of Heat Planning
What is a municipal heat plan?
The heat plan is a strategic tool that shows ways how the transition from fossil heat to renewable heat and unavoidable waste heat can succeed in a municipality, joint municipality, or administrative district.
Heat planning does not result in immediate obligations. However, early and comprehensive involvement of key stakeholders is particularly important so that the heat plan can be implemented after it has been approved.
For the heat plan to be ready for implementation, the concept to be developed must meet both technical and economic standards. Supply safety, economic efficiency, and the resulting social acceptability are central aspects of a good heat plan.
The central element of heat planning is the division of the planning area into so-called suitable areas, which indicate where district energy can be expected in the future and where citizens may have to take care of their own heat supply in the future. In conjunction with clear time specifications, the heat plan creates planning security for stakeholders and citizens. A finely developed heat plan is thus seen as the foundation of the heat transition.
When is the municipal heat plan due?
Depending on their size, municipalities are obligated to develop a heat plan. Municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants (as of 01.01.24) must complete heat planning by 30.06.26. Smaller municipalities must have a heat plan by 30.06.2028.
What obligations arise from heat planning?
None. The heat plan is a strategic planning instrument, without immediate obligations for the municipality, stakeholders, or citizens. However, the heat plan is considered the foundation of a well-thought-out heat transition. The heat transition must happen to achieve climate goals, achieve long-term price stability, and attain a certain independence from fossil energies and energy imports. Regionality and regional value creation are the goals of heat planning.
A good heat plan is developed with the participation of key stakeholders. This promotes acceptance of the plan, which is an essential step for subsequent implementation. A good heat plan goes into implementation!
If there are no binding commitments, how does the heating plan ensure planning security?
A good heat plan is developed with intensive involvement of regional stakeholders. This increases planning security and acceptance on the part of the various stakeholder groups. An essential task of heat planning is to reconcile the various interests and orientations of the stakeholders. This significantly increases the probability of implementation.
In addition, the heat plan identifies suitable areas for district heating, gas networks (hydrogen, biomethane, biogenic liquid gas), and individual/decentralized supply. Since many parameters are considered in this analysis, the fundamental validity is unlikely to change much.
Where uncertainties still exist today, areas are usually classified as review areas. These are areas where a black and white distinction cannot be made today because future developments need to be awaited. Unfortunately, until the next update (every 5 years), there is uncertainty in these areas regarding connection to a district heating network or the transformation of existing gas networks. However, citizens can ensure planning security themselves by replacing their heating systems.
Furthermore, the heat plan primarily creates planning security for citizens who are very unlikely to receive district heating and for whom a conversion of the natural gas network to green gases can be ruled out. In the event of a failure, they must take care of a new heating system themselves and have gained corresponding planning security through the heat planning.
Is the heat plan set in stone after approval?
No. The heat planning is carried out based on the available data and is developed independently, technology-neutral, and with scientific standards by Theta Concepts. This is our basis for a well-founded, participatory heat plan.
However, over the course of the 20-year consideration horizon, significant changes will occur in many municipalities, joint municipalities, or offices that will require adjustments to the heat plan. Therefore, the heat plan is not a rigid construct but will be updated in due course. Legally, an update is required at least every 5 years.
The heat plan is finished. Do I have to replace my heating system now? (Explanation based on German Regulations)
This connection between the Heat Planning Act (WPG) and the Building Energy Act (GEG), also known as the Heating Act, is a widespread misconception. Basically, according to the GEG, no functioning heating system needs to be replaced with a new one. The GEG only regulates the technological transition from fossil to renewable energies (and waste heat) in the event of a failure. As long as the heating system can be repaired in case of damage, it may continue to operate until 2045. However, if a heating system fails irreparably after certain milestones, a new heating system must be installed that meets the 65% rule. This is regulated in the GEG and has nothing to do with heat planning.
The heat plan is a planning tool that becomes valid through a municipal resolution. The central content of the heat plan is a division into suitable areas to create planning security.
To achieve a controlled expansion of district heating or a controlled transformation of the gas network, a separate second resolution can be made to designate areas for district heating and gas networks. If such a designation is made, the 65% rule from the GEG applies in the affected districts 1 month after the announcement of the designation resolution. Such a second resolution can be a means for transformation, but there is no legal obligation to do so. The decision lies within the discretion of the municipalities.
In any case, an advancement of the deadline for compliance with the 65% in existing buildings only occurs through a separate, second resolution.
Does it make sense to link heat planning with cooling planning?
With the exception of technical applications (including data centers, cold-storage facilities), the cooling demand of buildings in our latitudes is comparatively low. This usually precludes the widespread implementation of centralized cooling supply for economic reasons.
Moreover, cooling provision is largely electrified and occurs on-demand. Therefore, large excess potentials are hardly found.
However, opportunities may arise in newly constructed districts that create synergies between heat and cooling supply. In this context, cold district heating through, for example, near-surface geothermal energy and/or ice storage can be a sensible option for new districts, which can be examined as part of combined heat and cooling planning. Therefore, the linkage can be meaningful.
How does one implement the heat plan?
A comprehensive technical and economic consideration significantly increases the acceptance and implementation probability of heat planning through broad acceptance.
For this reason, various perspectives need to be included during the planning process. Comprehensive stakeholder involvement is therefore a central means for later implementation. Furthermore, a focus should be placed on economic efficiency and the identification of the most reliable and economical supply types. The heat transition can only be implemented with consideration of economic efficiency.
You can find further information on heat planning here!
