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The Danish Energy Agency engages nationally and internationally in the production, supply and consumption of energy - with efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
Case
District energy
District heating
The Danish Energy Agency engages nationally and internationally in the production, supply and consumption of energy - with efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
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Germany’s energy system is facing major changes as the German government has closed its nuclear power plants, aims to decrease dependency on natural gas and plans to phase out coal power in 2038 at the latest. This requires an urgent transition to renewable energy, particularly in the heating sector.
In 2015, natural gas made up almost half of the decentralised building heat supply. And until recently, only a few German cities had a clear vision of how to decarbonize their heat supply within the coming decades. However, the state of Baden-Württemberg has taken bold steps in collaboration and commitment when it comes to heat planning that has manifested in progress both nationally and internationally.
Since 2017, Baden-Württemberg has worked intently with Danish energy authorities and knowledge partners under the German-Danish Energy Dialog towards a greener energy supply. One focus of the partnership has been fostering a sustainable heat transition in Baden-Württemberg.
In 2020 the state introduced an amendment to its existing climate law, which obliges the state’s 103 biggest cities and towns to work out their vision on how to achieve a fossil-free heat supply by 2050 and to develop a roadmap.
This legislation is influenced by the Danish model of spatial planning. During a visit to Denmark, a ministry delegation from Baden-Württemberg observed the effects of an obligation for municipal heat planning firsthand. The Danish example was then successfully adopted to German boundary conditions.
The core components of the amendment include compulsory municipal heat planning for all cities with more than 20’000 inhabitants and mandatory submission of data on the energy consumption of the municipal building stock for all 1,100 municipalities in Baden-Württemberg. With ambitious goals to reduce its CO2-emissions by 90 percent by 2050, the new heat planning legislation represents an important step for the entire state. The regulation is part of the state’s climate protection law.
What started as a dialogue and partnership has now materialised into concrete climate action. When fulfilled, the commitments set out in the Baden-Württemberg’s heat planning legislation will bring fossil free heating and cooling to 5,5 million people and thus half of the state’s population. However, it has already had great impact beyond state borders.
In 2024 The Heat Planning Act came into force in Germany inspired by efforts in states like Baden-Württemberg. It obliges all federal states to carry out comprehensive heat planning in their areas. In Baden-Württemberg, cross border collaboration around the heat transition continues to be a driver of innovation. Encouraged by Danish experiences with utilising industrial surplus heat, a showcase project between German and French partners is currently looking to supply 7,000 households on both sides of the Rhine with waste heat from a local steel mill in Kehl.