Two million euros for the digital future of Weimar’s district heating!

Two million euros for the digital future of Weimar’s district heating!

In a significant step for the energy transition, Stadtwerke Weimar today received funding for around two million euros. This money is provided from the ERDF funds of the Thuringian State Administration Office and is part of the project “New and expansion of district heating networks in central locations (NAF)”. These funds will be used to advance the digitalization of the district heating network in order to meet the requirements of modern energy supply. Mayor Peter Kleine sees this project as an important stimulus for both environmental protection and the city's citizens.

The heart of the project are intelligent home connection stations (iHAST), which not only handle heat transfer, but also record and control measurement and operating data. This innovative technology enables significantly better cost control and at the same time increases convenience and security of supply for around 9,000 customers in Weimar. “The funding plays a central role in the modernization of our network,” emphasizes the managing director of the municipal utility, Constanze Reppin.

Digitalization and climate protection in focus

State Secretary Tobias Knoblich highlights the connection between digitalization and climate protection: “We must use digitalization to achieve our climate goals.” In Germany, around 40% of final energy consumption comes from buildings, with up to 80% of heat being consumed in urban agglomerations. The introduction of iHAST systems in Weimar is a decisive step towards improving energy efficiency in cities and integrating renewable energies into existing district heating systems. Experts agree that the digitalization of district heating is essential to optimize system and network operations and advance decarbonization.

Globally, district heating often comes from fossil sources, highlighting the need to replace natural gas and coal with sustainable energy sources. Efficient and flexible collaboration between the various technologies is required in order to advance the conversion of the systems. Stadtwerke Weimar shows that there is great potential in digitalization to make heat generation not only more environmentally friendly but also more economical in the future.

Cooperation and expertise

Stadtwerke Weimar also works closely with various partners in the industry. These include the city of Olbersdorf and several energy suppliers such as TEAG Thüringer Energie AG and SWE Energie GmbH. The project is funded by the Saxon State Ministry of the Interior. In addition, renowned institutions such as the Technical University of Dresden and the Institute for Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use at the University of Stuttgart are involved in the scientific support of the project.

With the digital modernization of the district heating supply, the project aims not only at technical efficiency, but also at a lasting improvement in the quality of life of the citizens of Weimar. The first iHAST stations are expected to become operational in 2025, and full project completion is planned for 2027.

The progress in this area impressively shows how the combination of technology and environmental awareness can enable fundamental changes in the energy sector. The example of Weimar could be a role model for other cities that also want to jump on the digitalization bandwagon in order to prepare themselves for the challenges of the future.