ABOUT

What is the problem?

Despite the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate mitigation policies, we continue to burn fossil fuels.  One of the possible solutions at local scale is DH - district heating networks powered by renewable sources. DH adapts to the peculiarities and resources of each territory, whether it is solar, biomass, waste heat, heat pumps or geothermal energy.

The situation so far:

Despite requirements of European law, only a handful of central European regions have so far introduced effective policies promoting high-renewables DH. EU incentive schemes have boosted this process, especially in areas not reached by natural gas or where wood biomass is locally available. However, a significant number of these investments is experiencing sustainability problems, both from a technical and economic perspective.

What ENTRAIN aims to achieve...

ENTRAIN wants to encourage the adoption of a systematic and efficient energy planning able to reduce the local carbon footprint, intensifying the use of renewable energy sources. CO2 emissions reduction and the resulting  improvement of the local air quality are the two main goals, alongside socio-economic benefits for local communities of the 5 key regions: Italy, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland.

...and how

All of this can be possible only through the growths of technical expertise, the start-up of investments and innovative financial tools.

It is necessary to take the example from the best in this field: Austria and Germany, regions with advanced planning capacities and long-term experience will give guidelines on heat planning and quality criteria. ENTRAIN will start 9 pilot local DH networks and 9 heat planning studies, together with the development of 3 innovative financial schemes and the adaptation and adoption of the Austrian “QM Holzheizwerke” quality management system.

“ENhancing renewable heaT planning for improving the aiR quAlity of commuNities”