On 16 December 2025, a webinar entitled ‘Energy transition of the heating sector at the local level’ was held, organised by the Association of Municipalities Polish Network „Energie Cités”. The event gathered representatives of local governments, the heating sector, expert institutions and organisations supporting the energy transition, who discussed the challenges and practical solutions for local heating systems.
The webinar was opened by Anna Jaskuła from the Association of Municipalities Polish Network „Energie Cités”, who welcomed the participants and emphasised the importance of local action in the energy transition process. Julia Ługowska from the Mazovian Energy Agency then presented the key challenges facing the heating sector in Poland, including the need to move away from fossil fuels, rising energy costs and the need to adapt systems to the requirements of the European Union's climate policy. An important part of the meeting was a presentation by Zofia Michlowicz on the PlanHeat project, which supports municipalities in the Baltic Sea Region in planning local heat supply. It was pointed out that long-term, data-based planning is essential for making rational investment decisions.
This topic was complemented by a presentation by Jakub Bobrowski from the National Energy Conservation Agency (a partner of the PlanHeat project), who highlighted the importance of harmonising energy data, including the use of GIS systems, as a basis for reliable planning and investment decisions. Consistent and up-to-date data enable local governments and heating companies to better analyse the potential for transformation and select the optimal technologies.
Presentations of good practices attracted great interest among participants. Sławomir Lorek from MPEC Konin talked about the development of geothermal energy in Konin and its growing role in the local heating system. Jarosław Osiak from the Płońsk Energy Cluster presented the successful transformation of the district heating system in Płońsk, based on the use of renewable energy sources. During the event, a discussion also took place, during which the potential, but also the risks of geothermal projects in Poland, their economic conditions and the importance of geological research in this area were pointed out.
The webinar also presented other initiatives supporting the transformation of the heating sector. Anna Fijas presented the Support DHC project, which aims to increase the use of low-temperature waste heat sources and renewable energy sources in heating systems. Martyna Gajdera presented the RepowerRegions project, which aims to support education (higher education institutions, vocational education and lifelong learning and vocational training) and the development of training in the field of sustainable heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems. Magdalena Komoszyńska from PlanEnergi familiarised participants with the proposed scenarios for use in the EnergyPRO programme, which enable a preliminary assessment of the economic viability of using heat pumps in district heating networks
The scenarios presented are part of a set of tools available in ReplicationHUB. It is a European platform supporting cities and municipalities in replication of successful solutions in the field of district heating transformation. ReplicationHUB offers access to expert knowledge, tools, case studies and the opportunity to exchange experiences between local governments and stakeholders in the heating sector.
In summary, the energy transition of the heating sector requires close cooperation between local governments, energy companies and expert institutions. The webinar showed that both planning tools and successful implementation examples are available, which can be an inspiration for other municipalities starting or deepening the process of transforming local heating systems.
Thank you very much for participating in the event!
Presentations:
- Wyzwania i kierunki transformacji sektora ciepłownictwa w Polsce , Julia ŁUGOWSKA, Mazowiecka Agencja Energetyczna
- Planowanie lokalnego zaopatrzenia w ciepło w gminach Regionu Morza Bałtyckiego – projekt PlanHeat , Zofia MICHLOWICZ, Stowarzyszenie Gmin Polska Sieć „Energie Cités”
- Harmonizacja danych energetycznych jako klucz do efektywnego planowania ciepłownictwa , Jakub BOBROWSKI, Narodowa Agencja Poszanowania Energii
- Geotermia w Koninie – kierunki rozwoju i znaczenie dla lokalnego systemu ciepłowniczego , Sławomir LOREK, Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Energetyki Cieplnej – Konin
- Projekt RepowerRegions , Martyna GAJDERA, Stowarzyszenie Gmin Polska Sieć „Energie Cités”
- Wspieranie wykorzystania niskotemperaturowych źródeł ciepła odpadowego i energii odnawialnej w systemach DHC – projekt Support DHC , Anna FIJAS, Stowarzyszenie Gmin Polska Sieć „Energie Cités
- Udane przykłady transformacji lokalnych systemów ciepłowniczych z wykorzystaniem OZE na przykładzie PEC w Płońsku , Jarosław OSIAK, Płoński Klaster Energii
- Narzędzie do oceny wstępnej opłacalności ekonomicznej pomp ciepła w sieciach ciepłowniczych - kalkulator EnergyPRO , Magdalena Komoszynska, PlanEnergi (Dania)
The event was organised as part of the PlanHeat project (Local Heat Planning - Achieving the Heat Transition in BSR Municipalities), financed by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, as well as the SupportDHC (Supporting a fast implementation of low-grade renewable energy and waste heat for district heating and cooling) project, funded by the LIFE+ programme. The responsibility for the content of this website lies entirely with the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or CINEA. The European Union and the funding authority are not responsible for it.
