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The KeepWarm project, funded under H2020 Energy Efficiency, worked to accelerate investments to retrofit existing inefficient heat networks, improve system operations, and switch to renewable energy and waste heat sources.
District heating currently represents 12% of the heat supply in the European Union. Whilst modern systems can significantly contribute to more efficient use of resources and the integration of renewable energy, some of the existing systems are still highly inefficient and heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
Thanks to the project activities, district heating retrofitting works started in sixteen pilot sites in Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Slovenia. Two Contracting Parties of the Energy Community, Serbia and Ukraine, took also part in the project with pilot sites.
KeepWarm has also provided concrete recommendations to policy-makers for the development of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) in the seven target countries. At the same time, the project influenced the inclusion of district heating retrofitting into Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans and similar municipal plans in Jelgava (Latvia), Celje (Slovenia), and Zhytomyr ( Ukraine), as well as into regional planning in Styria (Austria).
The project facilitated knowledge transfer and exchange of experience through newly developed training resources (available in multiple languages) complemented with material from numerous sources, which are accessible in one hub: the KeepWarm Learning Centre.
Success stories from the pilot sites
In Priboj, Serbia, KeepWarm contributed to the decision to replace heating pipes and substations as well as fuel oil boilers with a wood chip plant, for a total investment amounting to EUR 7 million. The project is already contributing to local job creation.
In Croatia, the operators of the district heating system of Zaprešić decided to connect heating stations into a single network. The system will also integrate large-scale solar collectors’ fields as well as solar collectors installed on the roof of one of the heating stations.
In Eibiswald, Austria, the KeepWarm project has supported the decision to invest EUR 7.2 million to rebuild a boiler house, install an exhaust gas recirculation to increase efficiency, and expand the grid to connect new customers.
Project partners have facilitated the new investment plan of the district heating company in Brno, Czech Republic. A modern distribution network running on hot water will replace 27 km of inefficient steam pipelines by 2023, reducing energy losses in the distribution from 18% to 6% and contributing to 664 TJ of primary energy savings every year.
All project results can be consulted here.
KeepWarm lives on: Exploit our services for your feasibility!
Our entire consortium is happy to support you with our valuable services, including helping stakeholders find their way through the legal framework, guidance in navigating potential subsidies, permits and standards relevant to you, exploiting district heating data in meaningful feasibility studies of market-ready scenarios, etc.
Photo credit: Pixabay
Why take advantage of KeepWarm material and services?
- Elaborate on needs and create tailor-made capacity-building approaches to increase staff capabilities
- Develop viable business plans to attract funding by applying one of KeepWarm replication models
- Switch to efficient and decarbonised DH solutions which contribute to your climate goals
- Drive local/regional specialisation and boost your economic opportunities
- Ensure that your policy frameworks and financial mechanisms properly prioritise DH retrofits (e.g. efficiency measures and decarbonisation through sustainable energy sources)
Let us help convert ambitious heating and cooling ideas into real actions on the ground, through the expertise gained through the project and the many other services offered. Find out more by contacting our consortium.