Municipal heat planning using the example of the town of Erbach an der Donau
Municipal heat planning is a planning tool for the development of a renewable heat supply and is intended to support cities and municipalities. It is used to develop a locally appropriate approach to ultimately achieve a greenhouse gas-neutral heat supply under economic conditions. On the one hand, heat planning is a strategic process based on a transformation path; on the other hand, it derives concrete, practical implementation measures.
Heat supply accounts for more than 50 % of total final energy consumption in Germany and is responsible for a large proportion of CO2 emissions. Around 80 % of heating requirements are still covered by fossil fuels such as gas and oil. The heat supply must essentially be considered on a local basis - which is why municipalities play an important role as local decision-makers.
Long before the German government's recent resolutions on mandatory heat planning (Federal Heat Planning Act), the town of Erbach (Donau) put voluntary municipal heat planning on its agenda in 2022. The bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH was commissioned to draw up the plan.
Erbach has a good starting position: several existing heating networks and heating network plans in the town centre and surrounding districts are helping to promote a sustainable heat supply. However, the options for action in neighbourhoods and districts not yet covered also had to be considered.
In an intensive participation process, the initial situation and options for action were clarified, a strategic approach developed and detailed measures worked out. It comprised interviews and five workshops with representatives of the local council, the city administration, energy suppliers, the regional energy agency, the district administration and Erbach companies. In the workshops, bifa provided support by preparing content and using targeted moderation methods.
bifa used geoinformation systems for the inventory and potential analyses. A multi-criteria analysis was also carried out to categorise settlement areas according to the feasibility of heat networks.
The central result of the study is a transformation pathway. In order to achieve the targeted 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 2021) and a climate-neutral heating sector by 2040, the use of oil and gas heating systems must be urgently reduced. Heating networks can generally utilise renewable energy sources more efficiently than individual house heating systems, but are not suitable for all settlements. Possibilities for a regenerative supply for all buildings in the urban area were identified. Measures for realisation were developed that can be implemented by the city administration and other stakeholders.
The results were presented to Erbach's citizens and discussed at the end of November 2023. The bifa study is also published on the website of the town of Erbach (Donau).