About: district heating

Helsinki bets on electrification to decarbonise heating

Electricity from heat pumps, combined with a shift to renewables in district heat networks, emerged as the winning technologies to drive the Finnish capital’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2035.

IRENA chief: EU geothermal capacity could grow eight-fold by 2050

Geothermal is competitive with wind and solar technologies and can work together with them to create a reliable supply of renewable energy, according to Francesco La Camera, who sees geothermal capacity as growing up to eight-fold in the EU by mid-century.

Finnish industries launch ‘game-changing’ bid to go green, digital

A consortium of twelve Finnish corporations calling themselves the "game-changers" have announced a new billion-euro offensive to build new digital infrastructure, saying the digital transition will be key to achieve green objectives after the COVID-19 crisis.

LEAK: ‘Efficiency first’ is top priority of draft EU energy strategy

Efficiency must be at the core of Europe’s energy policy, the European Commission says in a draft policy document outlining its vision of a more agile, low-carbon energy system powered chiefly by renewable electricity.

Heating electrification amplifies need for efficient buildings, experts say

Electrification is key to decarbonising the residential heating sector, but it needs to be done smartly, by using heat pumps flexibly in houses that are efficient enough to act as “thermal batteries,” experts argue.

Heat networks in focus as EU cities confront building emissions

Last year, the European Union embarked on a mission to decarbonise the building sector, currently responsible for 40% of the bloc’s energy use. And cities with district heat networks have a head start when it comes to integrating new low-carbon energy sources.

European cities share heating decarbonisation tips

Cities with decades-old combined heat and power systems are emitting less carbon than others, and EU policymakers are looking at how to emulate this across the bloc.

Connecting the dots to enable climate leadership at all levels

We are running out of time to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, and need urgent and ambitious climate leadership. Cities are central to this effort – and it is crucial that we continue to enable our cities to address and solve climate challenges, writes Lars Tveen.

Solar CEO: ‘Heating electrification is one of the biggest mistakes of the energy transition’

Wind and solar photovoltaic are way too small to cope with Europe's massive demand for heating, especially in winter, says Christian Holter who calls for allocating scarce renewable energy resources to economic sectors where they can bring the most in terms of carbon reduction.

Feeling the heat: Why EU climate targets depend on ditching fossil fuel boilers

The European Union has set a target of increasing renewables in heating and cooling by 1.3% every year starting in 2021. Given the pervasiveness of gas heat, it may be a struggle.

Academic: Oil and gas boilers should be banned across Europe by 2030

Emissions from residential heating can be drastically reduced if Europe agrees a ban on new oil and gas boiler installations by 2030 at the latest, according to a Danish researcher who led an EU-wide study to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector.

IEA analyst: A heating and cooling target ‘could make a big difference’

As talks on the EU’s renewable energy rules resume, one of the main talking points is how to decarbonise the heating sector, and deploy technologies like heat pumps and district heating. The International Energy Agency’s Ute Collier told EURACTIV in an interview that the task is complex and difficult.

Biomass policy under the spotlight as EU talks kick off

The European Union’s proposed new biomass policy has enough built-in safeguards to ensure it doesn’t lead to additional carbon emissions, an EU official told a EURACTIV event last week, amid warnings that the policy risks making global warming worse by increasing deforestation.

Renewable energy gap in heating ‘unacceptable’, EU says

As renewable energies gradually take control of power generation, the heating and cooling sector remains far behind, with fossil fuels – heating oil, gas or even coal – still making up 84% of Europe’s heating consumption.

Stockholm mayor: ‘Fuel poverty is non-existent in Nordic countries’

Nordic countries have relegated fuel poverty to the history books by setting legal minimum standards for heating and giving house-owners a strong incentive to invest in refurbishment, says the mayor of the Swedish capital.

Heating and cooling

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The heating and cooling of buildings and industry is responsible for half of the EU’s energy consumption, and “much of it is wasted” according to the European Commission.

Cities are key players in the clean energy transition

Cities are often leaders in climate action and ambition. National governments need to recognise this and empower them with the financial and technical means to complete their transition away from fossil fuels, writes Abdeluheb Choho.

The keys to decarbonising Europe’s heating and cooling

Five factors are holding back the energy transition to a zero emissions Europe by 2050, writes Thomas Nowak.

Ensure energy directives lead to real and effective energy savings

Substantial parts of EU energy legislation are being reviewed this year, aiming to improve efficiency, cut emissions, increase supply security and save money. But a number of requirements must be met before this can happen, write Marie Linder and Kurt Eliasson.

EU adviser flags district heating in efficiency review

A Commission review of energy efficiency measures this summer will prioritise heating measures as a way of transforming Europe’s energy performance, according to a top Commission adviser.

Campaigners mourn missing heat in 2030 Green Paper

Efficiency campaigners have been left fuming after the EU’s Green Paper on 2030 climate targets almost completely failed to address the role that heat savings can play in reducing carbon emissions.

Old district heating systems ‘at risk of bankruptcy’

District heating systems have not been modernised in many EU member states, although they currently provide over 60% of heat and hot water in Nordic and Eastern European countries.