Feasibility study for a local heating network in Hellerau successfully completed

Dresden, 30 June 2026 – Following six months of intensive work, Thüringer Wärmeservice (TWS) has completed the feasibility study for the planned local heating network in the Hellerau district of Dresden and presented the results at a well-attended information evening. TWS had previously won the contract in a tender process against competitors and was commissioned to carry out the study.

Information evening at the Waldschänke: Great interest in local heating
At the invitation of STESAD GmbH, which supports the state capital Dresden with project and participation management, just under 60 interested parties gathered at the Waldschänke on the evening of 29 June 2026. The room was filled to capacity – a sign of the great interest in a community-based heating solution.

Presentation of the results and lively discussion
Dirk Hladik, Head of the Energy Division within the Climate Protection and Climate Change Adaptation Unit of the City of Dresden, opened the evening with an overview of the process to date and how it fits into the municipal heating plan. Following this, the experts from TWS presented the results of the feasibility study and answered questions from those present. Particular focus was placed on questions regarding the economic and technical implementation of the heating network, which were answered in detail.

AI-generated: The image shows a presentation in a well-attended room, with a man standing in front of a projector presenting a slide entitled ‘Heat supply areas in the 2045 target scenario’. The slide contains a map and a note referring to an 87 per cent response rate.

Heritage protection and energy-efficient refurbishment
As the participants included property owners whose buildings cannot, for the time being, be connected to the local heating network, the session concluded with information on energy-efficient refurbishments that comply with heritage protection requirements. A final Q&A session rounded off the evening, which ended at around 8 pm.

Pilot project for an efficient initiation process
The project in Hellerau is regarded as a pilot scheme for the initiation process for local heating networks. EU funding from the EnAct4CleanCities project was used to implement it. The process to date has already yielded many valuable insights for a more efficient and targeted launch of further local heating networks. Efficiency is important because not every initiative actually results in a new heating network. This is ultimately determined by potential heating network customers and the respective local conditions. There is no obligation to connect. According to the heating plan, there are at least 10 further areas within the Dresden urban area that are being assessed for local heating networks; these are to be investigated before the heating plan is updated. The high level of interest shown by residents in Hellerau underlines the importance of such information evenings for the city’s energy future.

Specific expression of interest:
If you are interested in a district heating connection in Hellerau, you can submit your feedback to TWS GmbH via the following link by 31 August 2026.

Expression of interest in connecting to the local heating network in Hellerau