© Leitfaden Wärmeplanung

Heat Planning Guidelines support heat transition locally

Heat planning is a key instrument of the heat transition, which in turn is an important part of the energy transition. The Heat Planning Guidelines now give municipalities practical support for their planning at local level.

Heating accounts for more than 50% of the energy used in Germany, and only a small portion of this energy is greenhouse gas neutral. By 2045, this is to change to make the heat supply completely greenhouse gas neutral. This means replacing fossil fuels with renewables or with waste heat from industrial processes. In addition to this, efficiency measures are to be used to lower demand and the energy infrastructure, including the heat and electricity grids, are to be expanded and thus rendered more cost-efficient as part of a coordinated effort.

^{Guidelines, technology catalogue and step-by-step manuals}

The Heat Planning Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2024, introduced heat planning as a strategic instrument for the whole of Germany and creates a uniform framework for this. The Länder are now called to implement the relevant requirements into their own legislation and designate a responsible entity (usually the municipalities). These are familiar with the situation locally and are best placed to work with local stakeholders to seek bespoke solutions for a heat supply that is greenhouse gas neutral.

The Heat Planning Guidelines that were published in early July support them in this work. These offer the municipalities a step-by-step manual of how to proceed with the planning on the ground. The condensed version of the Guideline (in German only) offers a good overview of the guideline’s content. The Heat Planning Guidelines were published alongside a technology catalogue, which specifies the technical and economic parameters that can be used for calculation purposes and quantitative estimates.

^{National heat planning dialogue between federal government, Länder and associations}

The “Heat Planning Guidelines” have been passed to the Centre of Excellence for the Municipal Heat Transition (KWW) and published on 1 July at an event to foster national dialogue on the issue. The dialogue, which was organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, will run through 2025 and facilitate the exchange between Federal Government, municipalities and associations. Federal Minister Habeck said: “Heat planning ensures that local energy infrastructure is handled better and that potential for renewable energies and ambient heat can be harnessed. The Federal Government is supporting communities with €500 million through 2028, and the KWW centre is offering further assistance.”