Municipal heating planning: expanding the district heating network as a core task

A climate-neutral heat supply by 2040: that is the goal behind the Climate Protection Act of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It obliges cities with a population of 20,000 or more to draw up a municipal heating plan by the end of 2023 and to implement the first five measures within five years. Even before the legal obligation, the Rastatt municipal council had already adopted the goal of making Rastatt climate-neutral by 2035.

Citizens at the information event on municipal heat planning

At an information event in the BadnerHalle on June 28, 2023, the engineering firm EGSplan, commissioned by the city, presented the interim status of the municipal heating plan, which must be updated every seven years. Stadtwerke Rastatt also outlined ideas for the further expansion of the district heating network in Rastatt.

What are the general goals of a climate-neutral heat supply?

A climate-neutral heat supply has three objectives:

  • away from fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
  • greatly reduce energy consumption in buildings,
  • cover the remaining energy requirements with renewable energies.

How are Rastatt's households currently heated?

In 2023, the city worked with engineering firm EGSplan to determine how buildings in Rastatt are currently heated and how much is consumed, and examined 20,750 buildings for this purpose. The result: 96 percent of the heating requirement is provided by fossil fuels, in particular natural gas. Energy demand is highest in the industrial sector, followed by residential use.

What potential does the engineering office in Rastatt see for covering energy requirements with renewable energies?

Municipal heat planning is limited to changes in energy consumption in public buildings and private households. The industrial sector is subject to its own legal regulations.
As part of the municipal heating plan, it was investigated which areas would be suitable for which form of climate-neutral energy supply. The interim result is already clear: most of Rastatt would be suitable for district heating.

According to the EGS analysis, the district heating network in Rastatt has a lot of potential. How far along is Rastatt with the expansion?

Compared to other municipalities, Rastatt is well advanced in expanding its district heating network. According to Stadtwerke Rastatt, almost 30 kilometers of pipes have been laid and around 1,400 households are connected to them. An approximately 1,100 meter long pipeline is currently being laid along Herrenstrasse and Lyzeumstrasse. Information on the expansion of the district heating network. Stadtwerke Rastatt intends to further expand the district heating network in the coming years. This makes particular sense in areas where a lot of heat is needed, such as a hospital.

What alternative is there for homeowners who are too far away from district heating lines?

The expansion of a district heating network is not currently an option, particularly in the Rieddörfer villages. Homeowners should rely on decentralized solutions here, such as heat pumps or biomass. Heating with waste water, green gas and geothermal energy should also play a greater role in the future.

What five measures must Rastatt implement over the next five years?

The core of the package of measures is to drive forward the expansion of the district heating network in Rastatt. Four of the five measures focus on this.

1. Feasibility study for the Münchfeld hospital heating network

It is being examined where and in what size possible heating centers could be built around the planned Münchfeld clinic. In the course of this, it is also being investigated which streets could be equipped with a district heating network and which buildings could be connected to the network.

2. Friedrichring heating network transformation study

The aim of this measure is to expand the existing network. Here too, the aim is to examine which buildings can be connected to the district heating network and how the pipeline can be routed. This will be accompanied by a transformation study on green heat.

3. Feasibility study for the Rheinau heating network

In addition to examining which buildings can be connected to the district heating network, this measure also aims to examine the potential of wastewater from the sewage treatment plant as an energy source in more detail. This will be accompanied by an investigation into the area in which district heating can be routed between the Rheinau supply area and the sewage treatment plant.

4. Rastatt-Mitte heating network transformation study

The city center offers the greatest potential for expanding the district heating network. Nevertheless, the feasibility study will examine which streets and buildings can be connected and the associated costs.

5. Feasibility study on the use of deep geothermal energy

Due to the local geology, experts assume that there is a high thermal potential for green heat supply in Rastatt. However, in view of the complexity and regional nature of the topic, the study is not being carried out by the local authority, but with other local authorities, associations and energy suppliers.

What are the next steps in municipal heat planning?

In October 2023, the municipal council approved the municipal heating plan. Feasibility studies are now being carried out to check whether the expansion of the district heating pipelines can begin in the individual areas. The large-scale expansion of the district heating networks is scheduled to begin in 2028. At the same time, locations and areas for the necessary heating centers are being sought.


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