Comprehensive model of waste heat utilization in CE regions

CE-HEAT project aims to improve the governance of energy efficiency by focusing on field of waste heat utilization in Central Europe space and through increased exploitation of endogenous RES – waste heat. This field was identified as one of the most pressing issues at the regional and local scale - with little success in the past. At the same time the waste heat utilization is recognized as important issue in latest Energy efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU). In order to improve governance in waste heat utilization, better and comprehensive planning, but also monitoring tools are needed.

The CE-HEAT partnership has facilitated this process by:

• Providing an excellent analytical and monitoring platform through establishment of GIS based regional waste heat cadastres with waste heat sources classification and a monitoring tool;
• Providing a comprehensive solution for managing waste heat utilization projects and strategies based on the development of a waste heat utilization toolbox (leading stakeholders participation process, establishing feasibility etc.);
• Incorporating a new approach into local, regional and national strategies by integrating a novel cadastres and toolbox into existing spatial planning and energy management systems and spreading it throughout central Europe and beyond.

Project Achievements:

Digital waste heat cadastres have been created and activated in all partner regions, as tools for improvement of waste heat utilization. The consortium also developed a joint waste heat cadastre where data of all partners is combined onto one GIS map (in English).

The waste heat toolbox includes tools and guides on investment decision making (including waste heat energy calculator), funding opportunities for each region, relevant business models, permits related to infrastructure projects for each region, relevant policy guides and link and good
practice inventory for participating countries. The toolbox is available on waste heat platform.

All policy and thematic pilots have been completed, with some pilots with support of CE HEAT project advancing all the way to waste heat system implementation.

Regional waste heat utilization action plans have been developed for all participating regions.

The transnational waste heat utilization platform is activated online. The platform brings together all knowledge, tools, guidelines and best practice examples that enable learning and information exchange for users.

Pilot Project Summary 

All policy and thematic pilots have been completed by all participating partners, with some pilots further to CE HEAT project scope advancing all the way to waste heat system implementation.

The policy pilots aimed at integrating the waste heat cadastre into local and regional energy planning strategies and plans. Policy pilots were delivered in regions of Venezia Friulia Guilia (IT), Thuringia (DE) and Burgenland (AT). The waste heat cadastres were integrated into 25 local SEAP's/SECAPS, one regional energy strategy and input provided for a new regional energy staretgy in the making.

The thematic pilots were aimed at using, testing and improving waste heat tools developed as part of the project in the process of feasibility studies development and stakeholder engagement. The pilots covered several industry sectors where large quantities of waste heat are generated and underutilised, including thermal power plant, biogas plant, hydropower plant, and other industries such a wood, steel, glass and textile. Jointly the feasibility studies identified about 34 Million EUR of viable investments in waste heat projects, that could provide over 100 new jobs in the market.