with this first newsletter of our Intelligent Energy Europe Project on Solar District Heating we would like to inform you about recent sector developments and first project results. We hope to awake your interest in our activities. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us for any further information.

Your SDH-Project Team
July 2010

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The second workshop was held in Crailsheim, where representatives of district heating and solar thermal enterprises visited Germany’s largest SDH installation. The objective of the working group is to bring together the two sectors and to conjointly develop new opportunities for solar thermal in the district heating sector.

In June 2010 a new solar block heating plant was taken into operation on the Orust island in West Sweden. A second small demo plant shall demonstrate the (technical and contractual) possibilities for house owners to have local solar heating plants in a large district heating network.

In Denmark, the project SUNSTORE 4 supports the further development of the renewable energy supply system for the community of Marstal. The expansion of the solar plant , a new pit heat storage, heat pump and a biomass boiler is part of the innovative cost efficient energy supply system.

District heating and cooling (DHC) shows great potential to be at the forefront in the transformation of the European energy sector towards a sustainable future. The European technology platform “DHC+” works on defining research strategies and conceiving joint innovative research projects to realize this potential.

On April, 14th, the association Amici della Terra organised in Rome a workshop on renewable heat. It was clearly highlighted that, to reach the 17% objective or renewable energy in Italy by 2020, the key contribution must come from renewable heat, with relevant benefits on the economy and the enviroment.

The north German district heating operator E. ON Hanse presently develops a feed-in model for solar thermal heat for the northeast area of Hamburg. The feasibility of district heating connected solar thermal systems will be achieved by using improved incentive conditions for buildings at other places in the district heating network, to which the solar heat will be allocated.

The Steinbeis Research Institute for Solar and Sustainable Thermal Energy Systems Solites started the new internet platform saisonalspeicher.de. The new website offers today’s available information about seasonal thermal energy storage and offers a unique extend of knowledge about this subject.