Germany's New District Heating Projects Use Wastewater and Air Heat to Cut Fossil Fuel Use

In Berlin, the "The Friedenauer" pilot, led by GASAG Solution Plus and OFB, will create a fully electric district heating and cooling system powered entirely by renewable sources. The design extracts heat from a wastewater channel, integrates reversible heat pumps, a cold‑net, and a 600‑kW power‑to‑heat backup, with commissioning planned for 2027.

In Langenhorn, Schleswig‑Holstein, HanseWerk Natur’s heat‑box replaces the local gas network with a large‑scale heat pump that draws energy from ambient air and renewable electricity. The system supplies homes, a kindergarten, school and sports hall, cuts annual CO₂ emissions by about 340 tonnes and lowers heating bills by roughly €440 per household. Minister Henning Mümmler‑Grunow called the project "a strong signal for modern, climate‑friendly energy policy." Both initiatives are supported by federal efficiency funding and aim to serve as models for other small‑scale district‑heat networks.