Heat Transition

The heating transition is a key lever for achieving climate goals and a crucial component of the energy system’s transformation. A large portion of final energy consumption in Germany is accounted for by heat – for buildings, hot water, and industrial processes. To achieve a climate-neutral building stock and a largely decarbonized industry by 2045, far-reaching structural and technological changes are necessary. In addition to renewable heat sources and unavoidable waste heat, thermal energy storage systems and smart control systems play a key role.

Today, heat is still primarily generated from fossil fuels. Municipalities, energy suppliers, industry, and the housing sector face the challenge of further developing existing infrastructure, minimizing investment risks, and simultaneously ensuring security of supply and affordability. The heat transition therefore requires integrated solutions that take a holistic view of buildings, neighborhoods, networks, and industrial processes – from technological, economic, and regulatory perspectives.

Fraunhofer IFAM combines expertise in energy system analysis, materials engineering, and storage technologies with applied research and strategic consulting. We take an interdisciplinary approach to developing solutions for the transformation of the heating market, for example through heating market studies and industrial system integration. Our analyses incorporate technical, economic, and regulatory aspects in equal measure – thus creating a solid basis for decision-making for public and private stakeholders.

• Municipal heating planning and heating market studies: building-specific heat demand maps, renovation scenarios, and scenarios for the transformation of the heating market with the aim of identifying areas suitable for supply via district heating networks or decentralized heating systems
• Heating networks and sector coupling: Local/district heating, heat pumps, CHP, heat storage, integration of unavoidable waste heat and renewable heat sources
• Thermal energy storage: Phase-change materials (PCM technologies), including material selection, design of storage systems, and prototype testing
• Industrial waste heat utilization: Potential assessment, process-integrated storage solutions, and utilization concepts
• Policy consulting on regulatory framework and efficiency assessment: Definition of efficiency criteria for district heating networks, further development of the CHP Act (KWKG), decommissioning of gas networks. Current regulatory developments are taken into account in the assessment.

Using advanced modeling and optimization tools, we develop scenarios for the transformation of the heating market and systematically evaluate them. We place a particular focus on the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of district heating concepts, incorporating technologies such as large-scale heat pumps, combined heat and power (CHP), power-to-heat, and thermal storage, as well as the integration of renewable energy and unavoidable waste heat. At the same time, we are working on further developing the regulatory framework to enable this transformation.

In addition, we are developing modular heat storage systems based on PCM and sorptive materials that allow for flexible and efficient heat utilization. Complementing this, we are creating concepts for waste heat utilization as well as demonstrators for high-temperature storage.

Our research results in concrete planning and decision-making frameworks, including: These results create a robust foundation for investment decisions and support the implementation of a climate-neutral heat supply.

• Municipal heating plans with implementation-oriented catalogs of measures
• Studies on the optimal design and deployment of future generation portfolios of plants and storage systems in heating networks
• Evaluations of storage applications and prototypes
• Waste heat utilization concepts for industrial processes

With its interdisciplinary expertise, Fraunhofer IFAM combines materials development, energy system analysis, and strategic consulting.

At its Bremen location, the institute develops data analysis, energy system modeling, and transformation strategies. In Dresden, it creates innovative materials and energy technology components, including: In this way, the institute supports projects from initial analysis through technology development to the implementation of practical solutions for sustainable heat supply.

• Latent heat storage systems
• Thermal compressors
• Thermoelectric generators
• High-performance heat exchangers based on cellular metals and additive manufacturing