Municipal heat planning launched
On Thursday, 20 June 2024, the starting signal for municipal heat planning in Chemnitz was given at a kick-off event in the eins conference centre. Key stakeholders were invited, including companies from the housing industry, the city council factions, the For-Future groups as well as the chambers, the supplier and network operator inetz/eins. They were informed about the next steps by the project organisers, GEF Ingenieur AG and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. The aim of municipal heat planning is to develop measures to supply the urban area with climate-friendly heat.
Dr Stephan Richter, CEO of GEF Ingenieur AG: "We are delighted to be accompanying the city of Chemnitz on the way to its municipal heating plan and to be working together to make decisive progress on the local heating transition."
Public events are also planned during the project to inform the people of Chemnitz about the process. "Transparent and target group-oriented heat planning is necessary for the further decarbonisation of Chemnitz's heat supply. It is an essential pillar for greenhouse gas neutrality in 2040," says Carina Kühnel, Head of the City of Chemnitz's Environment Department.
The project benefits from 90 per cent funding from the federal government as well as experience from heat planning projects that have already been carried out in Germany. A key consensus at the event was the need for a clean, fair and affordable heat supply.
Background
In December 2023, the Heat Planning and Decarbonisation of Heating Networks Act (WPG) obliged local authorities to carry out heat planning. Chemnitz must therefore draw up a plan by 30 June 2026. This is intended to make a significant contribution to a sustainable, affordable, resilient and greenhouse gas-neutral heat supply. In Chemnitz, private households account for 32.6 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
The heating plan serves the city of Chemnitz as an informal planning tool that outlines the long-term development of the heating sector. This allows future measures to be harmonised. The heating plan shows how the heat supply should develop technically, spatially and over time. However, this does not result in any legal obligation. Building owners are still free to choose their heating technology.
Further information on the project can be found at www.chemnitz.de/waermeplanung