6,000 cities and towns in Europe already have a district heating grid that needs to be decarbonized in the next decade. More municipalities plan to expand and develop new district heating systems to reduce dependency on fossil fuels (especially gas) in the building sector and provide energy at stable prices. Solar heat is one of the proven, available, cost-effective measures to use on this path towards carbon neutrality of heating in Europe.

You may have heard about solar district heating, but do you know all the advantages and how it works? As a municipality, do you know the main challenges when it comes to planning and develop such projects?

This webinar series is intended for city officers in charge of renewable energy development, energy planning and energy infrastructures, as well as municipal utilities and local energy communities. In the first webinar, you will learn about successful examples of solar district heating networks, combining solar collector fields with different technologies (such as biomass boilers, heat pumps and thermal storage tanks). You will also benefit from the hands-on experience from local utilities and municipalities regarding project development.

In the second webinar you learn detailed information about practical tips and tricks for the planning process of a solar district heating plant in your city or town, and the key aspects to have in mind before launching processes and tenders.

1st Webinar, Wednesday 17 May , 11 to 12:30 AM CET

• Introduction presentation Solar Heat for Cities, Towns and Energy Communities
  Bärbel Epp, Director of solrico and communication adviser for IEA SHC Task 68
• Experiences from the point of view of an urban decision-maker in a city or town that owns and implemented already a solar district heating plant
  Municipality representative of Silkeborg (invited)
• Experiences from the point of view of a decision maker at an municipal utility that operates already a solar district heating plant 
  Ina Berzina-Veita, Managing Director of Salaspils Siltums
  
  

2nd Webinar: Monday 5 June 11 to 12:30 AM CET

• Tipps and tricks for the planning process –   finding area and making tenders – experiences from Germany – one of the leading district heating markets in Europe
  Magdalena Berberich, Deputy director of Solites, Germany, and subtask leader within IEA SHC Task 68 (invited)
• How to integrate solar heat into your existing district heating grid? Technical aspects like temperature level, integration points, distance from field to network etc. 
  Geoffroy Gauthier, PlanEnergie, Denmark
• Solar district heating between costs, political requirements from the EU and heat planning
  Luuk Beurskens, TNO (independent research organisations, Netherlands) and subtask leader within IEA SHC Task 68 (invited)