Since 2009, the European Union supported three international SDH projects regarding market development of solar district heating plants. This website is presenting these projects and their results.
Also many other European projects aim at contributing to the same overall objectives and present synergies with the SDHp2m project in the methods and solutions proposed. Projects related to SDH regarding market and policy as well as research and demonstration projects are presented in the sections ‘Market & Policy’ and ‘Research & Demonstration’ projects.
In several countries the SDH projects initiated also national projects which you find in the national Areas.
SDHp2m – Solar District Heating from policy to market (2016 – 2018)
SDHp2m stands for Solar District Heating (SDH) and actions from Policy to Market. The project addresses market uptake challenges for a wider use of district heating and cooling systems (DHC) with high shares of RES, specifically the action focuses on the use of large-scale solar thermal plants combined with other RES in DHC systems.
The key approach of the project is to develop, improve and implement in 9 participating EU regions advanced policies and support measures for SDH. In 3 focus regions Thuringia (DE), Styria (AT) and Rhone-Alpes (FR) the regulating regional authorities are participating as project partners to ensure a strong implementation capacity within the project. In 6 follower regions from BG, DE, IT, PL, SE the regulating authorities are engaged through letters of commitment. The project activities aim at a direct mobilization of investments in SDH and hence a significant market rollout.
The project work program in the participating regions follows a process including 1) strategy and action planning based on a survey, best practices and stakeholder consultation 2) an implementation phase starting at an early project stage and 3) efficient dissemination of the project results at national and international level.
Addressed market uptake challenges are: Improved RES DHC policy, better access to plant financing and business models, sustained public acceptance and bridging the gap between policy and market through market support and capacity building. Denmark and Sweden reached already today a high share of RES in DHC and shall be used as a role model for this project.
View the results of the SDHp2m project in our knowledge database by filtering for the SDHp2m project.
You find following SDHp2m project results in our knowledge database:
Project summary report
(English language)
Project leaflets and Project broschures
(national and English language)
Surveys and strategies for developing SDH in nine EU regions
(national versions and a summary in English language)
Fact sheets presenting best practice policies in the SDHp2m regions
(national and English language)
Fact sheets presenting best practice market support instruments in the SDHp2m regions
(national and English language)
Regional summary reports about the policy and market support measures in the individual SDHp2m regions
(national language)
Summary report about the policy and market support measures of nine SDHp2m regions
(English language)
Manuals with standardized plug and play organizational processes and technical solutions
(national and English language)
SDHplus – New business opportunities for solar district and cooling (2012 – 2015)
Building on the positive results of the SDHtake-off project, SDHplus, also supported by the IEE Intelligent Energy Europe programme, aimed at fostering the changeover of district heating to solar thermal energy by developing new business models and exploiting new market opportunities.
SDHtake-off – Solar district heating in Europe (2009 – 2012)
This first project, supported by the European Commission within the IEE Intelligent Energy Europe programme, aimed improving the market boundary conditions and broad dissemination activities.