How can the EIB and the EU financial mechanisms support the decarbonisation of district heating?: Exemplary cases in central and eastern Europe

Briefing    |    27 April 2022

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The heating and cooling sector accounts for half of the EU’s energy consumption, and both district heating and individual heating are still dominated by fossil fuels and inefficiently burned biomass. According to Eurostat data, only 22 per cent of heating and cooling is generated from renewable energy. Decarbonisation of this sector, through increasing its efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, is key to the success of the EU’s climate neutrality strategy.

This briefing collects examples of successful modernisations of district heating and cooling systems conducted with the support of the EU and EIB. The analysed case studies show how available finance and technical assistance mechanisms can support district heating rehabilitation and development, their transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, and the deployment of innovative technologies. We present case studies from Poland, Hungary and Lithuania that represent the efficient use of renewable energy, waste heat and technical assistance.