Municipal heat planning
On this page, we inform you about the latest developments in heat planning, the creation process, key milestones and provide answers to frequently asked questions.
On the way to a greenhouse gas-neutral heat supply
© Envato.com
The Heat Planning Act obliges local authorities to draw up a municipal heat plan, an important planning process for a greenhouse gas-neutral, efficient heat supply. This is an informal planning process that provides a strategic basis for further implementation measures towards climate neutrality.
The heat planning gives the city the opportunity to develop a strategy for the transformation of the heat supply in the form of an initial municipal master plan . The aim is to develop recommendations for a greenhouse gas-neutral and sustainable heat supply and actively shape the heat transition. The "municipal heat planning" does not yet have any external impact on the individual property owners.
© Envato.com
In June 2024, work began on drawing up the heating plan in close collaboration with Bocholter Energie und Wasserversorgung GmbH and an external specialist service provider.
First, a project roadmap was drawn up in which the current heat consumption and the existing heating infrastructure in the city area were analysed as a first step. Based on this, a potential analysis for renewable energies and energy savings will be carried out.
Finally, strategies and measures will be developed to reduce heat demand and transform the city into a greenhouse gas-neutral heat supply for the individual urban areas.
As a strategic, informal planning instrument, the heating plan does not yet make any binding statements for individual households with regard to a short-term heating changeover!
Municipal heating planning pursues several important goals:
- Increasing energy efficiency:
The use of modern technology and optimised processes should reduce the energy consumption of the heat supply. - Promoting renewable energies:
The use of renewable energy sources is to be increased in order to reduce CO2 emissions. - Securing the heat supply:
The focus is on a stable and affordable heat supply for all citizens. - Categorisation into prospective heat supply areas:
Different areas of the municipality are divided according to their likely future heat supply type (e.g. centralised, decentralised supply) and shown in the heat plan.
Phases of heat planning
Inventory analysis
The actual heat planning starts with an inventory analysis. This analysis is used to determine the current heat consumption in a specific area at so-called building block level, including the energy sources used.
In addition, existing heat generation sources and the relevant infrastructure are analysed. Specifically, information and data on the current heat supply in the area is to be systematically and qualitatively recorded as part of the inventory analysis.
The inventory analysis therefore includes a survey of the current heat demand and consumption in the areas of space heating, hot water and process heat as well as the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, information on the buildings, such as building types and age class, is collected.
The data is aggregated in such a way that personal data is protected.
Potential analysis
On the one hand, the potential analysis records the potential of renewable energies for heat supply and the unavoidable waste heat to cover demand. In addition, potentials for reducing the heat demand are determined.
The potential for unavoidable waste heat is determined as part of a stakeholder workshop and evaluated in collaboration with local stakeholders.
In this analysis, existing potentials in the city of Bocholt for the generation
and utilisation of heat from renewable energies and the use of (unavoidable) waste heat. In addition, potential savings in heat demand for households, municipal properties, trade, commerce, services (GHD) and industry are estimated. Existing spatial, technical or legal restrictions on the utilisation of heat generation potential must be taken into account.
The inventory analysis describes the status quo of the heat supply in the city of Bocholt. It forms the basis for the model-based extrapolation of the development of Bocholt's heating market planned in the next step. For this purpose, all relevant data on
- the current heat demand or heat consumption within the planned area, including the energy sources used for this,
- the existing heat generation plants and
- the energy infrastructure facilities relevant to the heat supply were
collected, evaluated and visualised.
The final energy and heat demand in Bocholt are structured quite identically in the status quo. The heat demand is approx. 90 % of the final energy demand. This key figure provides information on the energy efficiency of all heating systems used in Bocholt. More than 98% of the final energy demand is covered by fossil fuels, predominantly natural gas. This becomes clear in the CO2 balance.
Bocholt has an annual final energy demand for heat totalling 873 GWh. In relation to the number of inhabitants, this corresponds to around 11,000 kWh per inhabitant. The final energy requirement is therefore well below the national average of a good 17,000 kWh per inhabitant. The resulting heat requirement is 800 GWh/a (approx. 90 %).
© Stadt Bocholt/conenergy
Residential buildings account for the majority of energy consumption: around 63 % of final energy demand is attributable to this sector. Industry and commerce share the remaining 37 %.
Around 24,500 buildings are heated in Bocholt, of which more than 90 % are residential buildings. The remaining buildings include commercial, industrial and public buildings, which also make a significant contribution to energy consumption. The stock of residential buildings is relatively old and mostly still partially or unrenovated. With an average value of 120 kWh/m²/a, the energy efficiency of these buildings corresponds exactly to the West German average.
© Stadt Bocholt/conenergy
A full energy refurbishment of residential buildings would offer considerable savings potential: Up to 220 GWh could be saved annually if all buildings in the city were fully refurbished and a medium refurbishment depth was achieved. Such an average renovation depth takes into account that the predominantly old buildings (more than 50 % were built before 1979) cannot be upgraded to a KfW standard 40 or 55.
A complete refurbishment of all buildings in Bocholt is associated with considerable challenges, such as high investment costs and associated high financial requirements, an inhomogeneous ownership structure, logistical complexity and a high demand for qualified specialists. In addition to the lack of a legal obligation, these factors make it difficult to realise a complete refurbishment of the entire building stock.
The remaining final energy demand of 870 GWh/a minus the energy efficiency potential through refurbishment must be covered by renewable energies (RE) or unavoidable industrial waste heat.
The theoretical potential for RE and waste heat in Bocholt is an impressive 31 TWh per year. This potential exceeds the current final energy demand of 873 GWh many times over and demonstrates the possibilities of a sustainable energy supply. Industry in Bocholt has expressed great interest in feeding its waste heat potential of 22 GWh per year into heating networks. It makes sense to investigate the feasibility of such heating networks in more detail, as potential challenges such as land availability, investment costs and financing, technological requirements and logistical obstacles must be taken into account.
The figures illustrate the enormous potential that Bocholt can utilise by renovating buildings to make them more energy efficient and using renewable energies. The implementation of the transformation requires careful planning. The foundations are to be laid in the next steps of the heat planning process.
Contact us
Promotion
The project "Creation of a municipal heating plan for the city of Bocholt" (project duration: 01.10.2023 - 30.09.2024; funding reference: 67K25865) is funded by the National Climate Protection Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) in the form of a non-repayable grant of 90 per cent of eligible expenditure.
Further information on the Federal Ministry's climate protection initiative can be found at: www.klimaschutz.de/kommunalrichtlinie
National Climate Protection Initiative
With the National Climate Protection Initiative, the German government has been initiating and funding numerous projects that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions since 2008. Its programmes and projects cover a broad spectrum of climate protection activities: From the development of long-term strategies to concrete assistance and intensive support measures. This diversity is a guarantee for good ideas. The National Climate Initiative helps to anchor climate protection on the ground. It benefits consumers as well as companies, local authorities and educational institutions.