Deadline: 23-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for the Supporting District Heating and Cooling Networks Program.
Objectives
- To advance towards carbon neutrality and to phase out EU dependence on fossil fuels imports, there is an urgent need to reduce fossil fuel consumption for heating and/or cooling purposes. In that context, in particular modern and efficient district heating systems can connect local demand with renewable and waste energy sources, as well as the wider electric and gas grids, thereby contributing to the optimisation of supply and demand across energy carriers.
- The REPowerEU Plan, the revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) set out ambitious measures, including the increase of the share of renewable energy and waste heat in district heating systems. District heating and/or cooling operators/owners need to prepare and implement plans so that existing systems fulfil the criteria for “efficient district heating and cooling”, defined in the EED. This will require, among other aspects, the integration of renewable energy (e.g. from solar thermal, ambient energy and geothermal resources) and waste heat. Furthermore, district heating has been identified as a key option for the decarbonisation of the heating sector in countries and regions without a long tradition and experience in the technology.
Scope
- Proposals should address one of the following aspects and are expected to work either:
- with operators/owners of existing district heating systems to provide them with the required technical support for the preparation of investment plans for the fuel switch of existing district heating systems to fulfil the criteria for “efficient district heating and cooling” as defined in the Energy Efficiency Directive. This can include the extension of existing district heating and cooling networks provided that they are fully based on renewable energy or waste heat and the achievement of efficient district and cooling networks criterion is assured; or
- with municipalities and the relevant key stakeholders in the development of investment plans for new district heating and/or cooling networks, provided that they are fully based on renewable energy or waste heat, and with particular attention to existing buildings.
- For both aspects, the focus should be on identifying and offering concrete ways to integrate renewable energy or waste heat, assessing investments needed, and affordability with economic accessibility for residents and businesses.
- The investment plans to be developed should include technical requirements and technical concepts, detailed identification of the investments and pre-feasibility studies, their timing, the internal and external resources required, the public and private funding sources, in particular for the first tranches of investments and the potential identification of alternative funding sources and models.
Funding Information
- The estimated available call budget is EUR 91 400 000.
- LIFE-2025-CET-DHC: EUR 6 000 000
Expected Impact
- Proposals submitted under this topic should demonstrate the impact of the supplied investment plans and guidance on the transition towards “efficient district heating and cooling” networks and on integration of renewable energy and waste heat. The expected results together with a detailed analysis of the starting point, including a set of well-substantiated assumptions and clear links between the results, should be given in the proposal.
- Proposals should demonstrate how they will contribute to equip district heating and/or cooling operators and/or local authorities and other key stakeholders with investment plans which are endorsed and ready to be implemented after the end of the project, as well as guidance, internal capacity and other elements which are required to either build new systems (fully based on renewable energy or waste heat) or to meet the criteria defined for “efficient district heating and cooling”, encouraging potential waste heat suppliers to consider becoming heat suppliers to district heating.
- The indicators for this topic include:
- Number of endorsed investment plans for existing or new district heating and/or cooling systems, allowing them to fulfil the criteria for “efficient district heating and cooling” defined in the Energy Efficiency Directive.
- Number of follower cases (DH companies) for which transfer of knowledge will be effectively provided.
- Number of local and regional authorities integrating the outcomes of the project in their energy planning.
- Investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources triggered by the implementation of the investment plans developed thanks to the project (cumulative, in million Euro).
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme
- the coordinator must be established in an eligible country
For more information, visit EC.