IEA DHC Annex TS5 Integration of Renewable Energy Sources into existing District Heating and Cooling Systems

The main purpose of the project is to enhance the understanding of both technical and non-technical issues related to the integration of more renewable energy into existing district heating and cooling systems. Renewable energy sources include for example large-scale solar thermal, central heat pumps, renewable P2H-systems, biomass, geothermal and large heat storages in combination with cogeneration and excess heat.

The project brings together a diverse range of European and international expertise in the field and operates under the following key objectives:

Gain knowledge about and develop enhanced solutions for the technical and operational integration of RES plants into existing traditional and modern DHC systems.
Provide practical know-how on RES DHC project development, technical solutions and business cases to the DHC market actors.
Develop and show-case innovative demo cases driven by DHC market actors and in cooperation with RES market actors (for both, technical and organizational solutions).
Develop advanced instruments addressing non-technical market barriers and opportunities.
Get in place renewable heat sources as environmentally friendly and emission free heat generation technologies for the DHC sector.

Main target groups of the project include:

Heat suppliers and DHC network operators (as knowledge receptors, owners and investors of demo cases).
Technology suppliers, planners and service providers of the DHC sector
National and regional authorities (legal framework, support instruments) and local authorities.
Citizens and DHC-end users.