The path to municipal heat planning
The City Council approved the preparation of the municipal heating plan and the submission of a grant application on 15 December 2022. The grant application was submitted to ZUG (Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft GmbH) and approved by the National Climate Protection Initiative under grant reference number 67K25062. The project will run from 1 August 2023 to 31 December 2025. A guide and technical catalogue were published in early July 2024 to ensure compliance with the legal and regulatory framework, technical requirements and long-term availability.
The tender for the municipal heating plan for the town of Kitzingen was issued in December 2024 and January 2025. A consortium comprising the two companies Prosio Engineering GmbH and LKW Kitzingen was awarded the contract and has been working on the municipal heating plan for the town of Kitzingen since February 2025. In November, a stakeholder consultation was held online with around 15 stakeholders, including construction companies, heating firms and municipal energy providers, whilst a public consultation took place in the old synagogue, attended by 120 interested members of the public. For over 60 minutes, those present were briefed on the municipal heating plan for Kitzingen. This was followed by a lively discussion with many questions regarding the next steps for Kitzingen’s future heating supply.
Furthermore, a feasibility study is currently being carried out for a district heating network in the Altstadt, Südstadt and Etwashausen districts, as well as in the housing estate. This study is examining the extent to which a renewable district heating supply for these districts is feasible by 2040, which renewable energy sources could be used, and what costs the project would entail. We will keep you informed of the results in the course of 2026. This planning is taking place independently of LKW Kitzingen GmbH’s decarbonisation strategy.
Municipal Heat Planning – A Strategy for a Renewable Heat Supply
On 1 January 2024, the Heat Planning Act (WPG) came into force in Germany. It provides the legal basis for comprehensive, binding and systematic heat planning. The aim of this Act is to set out, based on local conditions, how the heat supply can be gradually transitioned to renewable energies or unavoidable waste heat. This provides citizens, businesses and energy suppliers with greater planning certainty regarding the future local heat supply.
A key objective of heating planning is to identify the optimal and most cost-effective route to a climate-friendly and forward-looking heating supply. This should be based specifically on the local conditions in Kitzingen.
Six steps to municipal heat planning
Six steps have been completed as part of the municipal heating plan for Kitzingen:
1. Analysis of the current situation
First, the current heat supply is examined in detail. This includes building structures, heating systems and existing energy infrastructure. Key questions include, for example: Where is the demand for heat particularly high? How is the supply currently organised? Which networks are already in place?
2. Potential analysis
Building on this, a potential analysis shows which renewable energy sources are available locally and could be utilised in the future.
3. Scenario development
Based on these findings, various supply models are being developed and evaluated in collaboration with the project team. Among other things, this involves determining where centralised heating networks are appropriate and where decentralised solutions might be preferable.
4. Implementation plan
In the fourth step, a detailed roadmap is drawn up, setting out measures, responsibilities and strategies for ensuring continuity. This forms the basis for the subsequent implementation and long-term safeguarding of the planning objectives.
5. Area profiles
The final report contains a total of 20 area profiles, starting on page 125. These profiles provide information for the respective areas of Kitzingen on the following question: Which heat supply options could play an important role by 2045 – for example, district heating networks, heat pumps or other renewable energy sources?
6. Summary sheets on measures
The action plan summaries outline the next steps following the local heating planning process and the tasks that lie ahead for the respective stakeholders.
Background
On 1 January 2024, the Heat Planning Act (WPG) came into force in Germany. It provides the legal basis for comprehensive, binding and systematic heat planning. The aim of this Act is to set out, based on local conditions, how the heat supply can be gradually transitioned to renewable energies or unavoidable waste heat. This provides citizens, businesses and energy suppliers with greater planning certainty regarding the future local heat supply.