Municipality Heat Planning Assistance Provided by Heatmeatlas

In the German state of Baden-Württemberg, the state government has taken a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in the heat sector. The Climate Protection and Climate Adaptation Act Baden-Württemberg (KlimaG BW) is responsible for issuing guidelines for heat plans, which are being implemented with supplementary state regulations. The details of implementation are regulated by newly added paragraphs 27a ff. of the KlimaG BW.

The state government has allowed for common heat planning (convois) and simplified procedures for smaller municipalities, aiming to streamline the process and reduce costs. Urban districts and major district cities were required to have their heat plans ready by the end of 2023, while the remaining municipalities must also draw up corresponding heat plans.

To support municipalities in heat planning, the Climate Protection and Energy Agency Baden-Württemberg (KEA-BW) has developed a new heat atlas. This atlas provides a detailed analysis of heat demand levels, ranging from the municipal level to the street section to the building block level. Each building block consists of three buildings for data protection reasons.

The heat atlas has been positively received by Philipp Oswald, the climate protection manager of the Emmendingen district. The atlas concentrates the more detailed demand analysis for the initial creation of a heat plan on the areas of the municipality where a heat network might be sensible, reducing effort and costs for municipal heat planning in smaller municipalities.

In new buildings, renewable energies, particularly heat pumps, accounted for around 70% in 2023. Natural gas is currently the most frequently used energy carrier in the heat sector, but it is expected that the shares of environmental heat (heat pumps), geothermal energy, solar thermal energy, and regenerative and waste heat operated heat networks will increase significantly and ultimately replace fossil fuels. The share of renewable energies in final energy consumption for heat in Baden-Württemberg was 18% in 2023.

It is worth noting that two out of 104 urban districts and major district cities obligated to draw up heat plans under the Climate Protection Act have not yet submitted their plans. Around 42% of residential buildings in Baden-Württemberg still use a gas heating system.

The heat plans based on state law in Baden-Württemberg meet the federal requirements. A total of 535 further municipalities have voluntarily embarked on the path of heat planning, most of which still need to submit their plans. The heat atlas could become a helpful and up-to-date knowledge base for municipalities if enriched with further data over time, such as existing waste heat potentials in suitable areas.

Moreover, the heat atlas can be used by smaller municipalities for a simplified pre-check of which districts a heat network will not be prioritized under current conditions. However, the heat demand of individual buildings is not publicly visible due to data protection concerns.

Approximately 170,000 people live in the southern Baden district of Emmendingen, where the heat atlas has been found to be a valuable tool. As Baden-Württemberg continues to strive towards a more sustainable future, the heat atlas and the new heat planning guidelines are expected to play a crucial role in achieving this goal.