Heat planning in Rüdersdorf: On the way to fossil freedom!

Heat planning in Rüdersdorf: On the way to fossil freedom!

The future of heat supply in Germany lies in the transition to renewable energies. A current example of this is the municipality of Rüdersdorf in the Märkisch-Oderland district. Those responsible here plan to do without fossil fuels by 2045 and to completely convert the heat supply. Currently, around 95% of the heat there is generated with natural gas, which is not a sustainable solution given rising prices and the uncertain fossil energy supply. Loud rbb24 The municipality is currently drawing up a heat plan that focuses on the development of renewable energies and the use of industrial waste heat.

The challenges are great, especially when it comes to obtaining data for heat demand. While information from the gas network is relatively easy to obtain, collecting data about chimney sweeps and the electricity network is much more complicated. Nevertheless, there is little resistance to the plans among the population, quite the opposite: citizens hope for the creation of numerous suitable areas and an expansion of the district heating network. The heat plan will then be decided at a meeting of the local council on July 22nd.

Current developments

Brandenburg is a reflection of nationwide heat planning efforts. To date, around a third of Brandenburg's municipalities have started planning, which is below the national average. Five municipalities have already completed their heat planning, including Premnitz and Templin. Loud BMWSB Smaller municipalities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants are required to draw up heat plans until June 30, 2028, while Potsdam has until 2026.

The federal government is aiming for heat supply to be greenhouse gas-free by 2045. So that municipalities can prepare for this change, a heat planning law is being drafted, which is intended to create the basis for investment and planning security. It is expected that this law will open up new opportunities to convert modern and affordable heat supply to renewable sources.

Heating networks as a future solution

Particular attention is paid to heating networks, which are considered a climate-neutral solution for densely populated urban areas. This technology not only requires extensive municipal planning, but also the definition of supply areas and ensuring that buildings are connected to the heating networks. The use of excess heat from industrial processes could make a significant contribution to heat supply, according to this Scientists4Future.

The pressure to innovate is high. The Ukraine conflict in particular has caused natural gas prices to rise sharply, making it urgently necessary to switch to waste heat or geothermal energy sources. There are ways to reduce flow temperatures in order to better integrate renewable heat sources. Craftsmanship is therefore in demand because the industry is working to reduce the costs of technologies such as heat pumps, while at the same time politicians are calling for adjustments to existing laws to enable climate-neutral heating.

Overall, it shows that heat planning not only represents a technological challenge, but can also set a process in motion for society as a whole. Whether in Rüdersdorf or elsewhere in Brandenburg – the course is now being set for a sustainable heat supply.