The state organisation for energy and climate protection (NRW.Energy4Climate) has surveyed the cities and municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia on the status of their heating planning. The results of the survey, which were announced on 21 November, make it clear that the majority of the participating municipalities are in the middle of the transformation process and will therefore apparently be able to keep to the schedule: Heat planning must be in place by 2026 and 2028 for large and smaller municipalities respectively.
The trend of this second survey on the status of heat planning in NRW shows positive tendencies compared to the previous year: „While in November 2023, 20 % of participants still stated that they wanted to wait and see, this year the figure has halved to ten per cent. Of the remaining
90 %, 21 % are in the preparation phase. The majority have already started (39.5 %) or are even further along in the process (28.5 %)“ is the conclusion.
„Heat planning in North Rhine-Westphalia's local authorities is really taking off right now“, says Christian Mildenberger, Managing Director of NRW.Energy4Climate, commenting on the results of the survey, in which 112 of the 396 towns and municipalities in NRW took part this year. ‘We are convinced that we can give further impetus to this development. Even those who are just starting now can manage the heat planning within the given deadline. In addition to the existing support services, we are also helping with the implementation guide that is being published to accompany the Landeswärmeplanungsgesetz NRW.”
Municipalities in the middle of the planning process - continuous progress documented
In addition to the strong progression of municipal planning processes, the state organisation was also able to note that these have already been completed ahead of schedule in some NRW municipalities. According to its own findings, this also applies to some non-participating pilot municipalities. A clear sign of increasing municipal activity is also „the number of approved funding applications from the National Climate Protection Initiative“.
The NRW.Energy4Climate survey will be repeated at regular intervals „in order to document progress in municipal heat planning and to review the current and future need for support“, the state organisation continued.
NRW.Energy4Climate also provides the following survey results:
- „Two thirds of local authorities work closely with their municipal utilities or another local energy supplier. Cooperation with all relevant stakeholders is fundamental to the quality and subsequent implementation of the heat plans. The Landeswärmeplanungsgesetz NRW, which is about to be passed by the state parliament, will oblige municipalities to manage dialogue with all stakeholders, such as energy suppliers, the housing industry and community energy cooperatives.“
- „70 % of participants use digital tools that are also suitable for heat planning. Using these tools helps to ensure that the planning can be analysed and updated time and time again. Because even after the initial creation phase of the heat plans, heat planning will remain an ongoing process in which the heat plans have to be adapted time and again.“
- „From the perspective of the participating municipalities, both hydrogen and biomethane will play a subordinate role in the heat supply. The use of these energy sources, which are likely to be available to a limited extent, may make sense in individual cases, but does not offer a comprehensive solution. Renewable energies, such as environmental heat, waste water, waste heat or geothermal energy, which have significantly greater potential in NRW, are ideal sources of heat.“
Further information can be found on the website of the Kompetenzzentrum Wärmewende NRW.