Keeping our cities sustainably warm: Inspiring the Efficient Renewal of District Heating for the Just Transition

Thursday 12 November, 2020
online, 9:00 - 16:00 CET

Thanks to all those who joined us on Thursday 12 November from 9h - 16h00 CET, for an inspiring virtual event to wrap up the KeepWarm story.

KeepWarm‘s online International Inspire Event explored the role which district heating (DH) has, especially for DH retrofits (i.e. increasing DH networks’ efficiency and/or decarbonisation through more sustainable energy sources), in relevant strategies at multiple levels of governance. Our high-level speakers representing local to European institutions to discussed DH’s crucial role in contributing to a Just Transition, Green Recovery and climate/energy goals. Joined by 170+ heating and energy experts, this online gathering fostered interactive dialogue on scaling up implementation through the strategic acceleration of policy and financial frameworks which suitably support DH retrofits.

Browse through our agenda and the presentations, below!
And if you missed the event, you can watch it here:

Use this timing or the links below to scroll through the video to the right moment:

0:00 - Day begins
0:16:45 - Keynote: Transformative energy in the context of the EU Green Deal & Just Transition
0:33:20 - Keynote: Roadmap for net zero emissions with known technologies
0:55:48 - Accelerating a thermal transition in step with the green recovery
1:50:38
- Sustainable district heating’s contribution to the just transition
2:40:00
- Break-out sessions (see separate recordings)
3:37:00
- Lunch break
4:59:45
- Scaling up implementation on the ground: wrap-up from both workshops
5:24:50 - A roadmap for DH which keeps the EU’s deal both green & warm
5:41:24
- Financing instruments to deploy modern district heating across Europe
6:32:58
- Outlook, reflections & concluding remarks

Agenda:

Plenary sessions: Introduction key notes

09:00 - 09:15

WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS

  • Stefanie Schädlich – KeepWarm Coordinator; German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) Download presentation (PDF)
  • Wolfgang Teubner – Regional Director Europe; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability
09:15 - 09:30

Keynote: TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EU GREEN DEAL & JUST TRANSITION

  • Hans van Steen – Acting Director; Renewables, Research, Innovation and Energy Efficiency; Directorate General for Energy in the European Commission (DG ENERGY)
09:30 - 09:45

Keynote: ROADMAP FOR NET ZERO EMISSIONS WITH KNOWN TECHNOLOGIES

Plenary sessions : The role of district heating in relation to flagship EU initiatives

09:50 - 10:35

ACCELERATING A THERMAL TRANSITION IN STEP WITH THE GREEN RECOVERY

Panel discussion with Q&A
Moderated by Roman Mendle – Coordinator; Sustainable Urban Development; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability

  • Julije Domac – Managing Director; North-west Croatia Regional Energy Agency REGEA
  • Jutta Paulus – MEP; Member of the Committee on the Environment; European Parliament
  • Christoph Pfemeter – Vice-President; Bioenergy Europe
  • Paul Voss – Managing Director; Euroheat & Power
10:35 - 10:50

Coffee break

10:50 - 11:35

SUSTAINABLE DISTRICT HEATING’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE JUST TRANSITION

Panel discussion with Q&A
Moderated by Giorgia Rambelli – Climate Policy & Energy Governance; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability

  • Kostiantyn Krynytskyi – Head of Energy Department, NGO Ecoaction (Ukraine)
  • Edo Omić – Economist; Studies Unit; European Cooperation and Strategy Directorate; Council of Europe Development Bank
  • Patrik Pizinger – Mayor; City of Chodov, Czech Republic
  • Daniela Torres – Monitoring, Reporting & Verification Expert; European Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

Workshops: Scaling up implementation on the ground through strategic policies & planning

11:40 - 12:30
SUPPORTIVE FRAMEWORKS DRIVING DECARBONISATION THROUGH A SWITCH TO RES-DH

Workshop moderated by Jure Čižman – Senior Advisor, Jožef Stefan Institute Download Presentation (PDF)

  • Slobodan Jerotić – DH company Toplana Šabac, Serbia
  • Alenka Loose – City Energy Manager; City of Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Gundars Pētersons – Chairman of the Board; Fortum Jelgava, Ltd.; Latvia
  • Matteo Pozzi – Chief Executive Officer; Optit S.r.l.; Italy
LOCAL ASPECTS, CHALLENGES AND POLICY SOLUTIONS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN DH SYSTEMS

Workshop organised and moderated by the UpgradeDH project and moderated by Dominik Rutz – Head of Unit Bioenergy & Bioeconomy, WIP Renewable Energies Download presentation (PDF)

  • Ina Bērziņa-Veita – President; Latvian District Heating Association
  • Valdas Lukoševičius – President; Lithuanian District Heating Association, Lithuania
  • Ajla Merzić – Lead Expert Associate for Power Generation Unit Development; JP Elektroprivreda BiH d.d., Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Susana Paardekooper – PhD Fellow; Aalborg University, Denmark
12:30 - 14:00

Lunch break

Some food for the brain: Keepwarm project results and related projects

Plenary sessions Recommendations for district heating in policy & financial frameworks

14:00 - 14:15

SCALING UP IMPLEMENTATION ON THE GROUND: WRAP-UP FROM BOTH WORKSHOPS

14:15 - 14:30

A ROADMAP FOR DH WHICH KEEPS THE EU’S DEAL BOTH GREEN & WARM

14:30 - 15:15

FINANCING INSTRUMENTS TO DEPLOY MODERN DISTRICT HEATING ACROSS EUROPE

Panel discussion with Q&A
Moderated by Wolfgang Teubner – Regional Director Europe; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability

  • Leszek Drogosz – Deputy Director of Infrastructure Department; City of Warsaw, Poland
  • Greg Gebrail – District Energy Specialist; European Bank of Reconstruction & Development
  • Eva Hoos – Policy Officer; Renewables and CCS Policy; Directorate General for Energy in the European Commission (DG ENERGY)
  • Tilo Kurtz – Head of Unit; Energy Efficiency in Buildings; Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector; Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Plenary sessions: Conclusions and looking forward

15:20 - 15:40

OUTLOOK, REFLECTIONS & CONCLUDING REMARKS

  • Peter Berkowitz – Head of Unit; Smart & Sustainable Growth; Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission (DG REGIO)
  • Carsten Rothballer – Coordinator; Energy & Sustainable Infrastructure; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability Download pesentation (PDF)
  • Stefanie Schädlich – KeepWarm Coordinator; German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) Download presentation (PDF)

Facilitators of the day:

  • Carsten Rothballer – Coordinator; Energy & Sustainable Infrastructure; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability
  • George Stiff – Officer; Climate & Sustainable Energies; ICLEI Europe - Local Governments for Sustainability

Thank you to our excellent speakers:

Julije Domac, REGEA; FEDARENE

Wolfgang Teubner, ICLEI Europe

Hans van Steen, DG ENERGY

Jutta Paulus, Member of the European Parliament

Brian Vad Mathiesen, Aalborg University

Paul Voss, Euroheat & Power

Tilo Kurtz, Ministry of Environment, Climate Protection & Energy; Baden-Württemberg

Daniela Torres, Covenant of Mayors Europe

Edo Omić, Council of Europe Development Bank

Leszek Drogosz, City of Warsaw, Poland

Peter Berkowitz, DG REGIO

Greg Gebrail, European Bank of Reconstruction & Development

Eva Hoos, DG ENERGY

Giorgia Rambelli, ICLEI Europe

Stefanie Schädlich, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Patrik Pizinger, City of Chodov, Czech Republic

Roman Mendle, ICLEI Europe

Christoph Pfemeter, Bioenergy Europe

Aksana Krasatsenka, Euroheat & Power

Kostiantyn Krynytskyi, NGO Ecoaction (Ukraine)

Signe Mārtiņkrista, Zemgale Regional Energy Agency

Jure Čižman, Jožef Stefan Institute

Susana Paardekooper, Aalborg University, Denmark

Dominik Rutz, WIP Renewable Energies