Target scenario and territorial division

Densely built-up neighbourhoods with many apartment blocks or large commercial heat consumers are particularly suitable for the expansion of a heating network. Simulations show that connection rates of over 60 per cent of the total energy requirement of a building block can be achieved there - a clear indication of very high suitability.

A heating network is also suitable for neighbourhoods in which more than half of the buildings are public or listed. These buildings are generally favoured for connection, thus increasing the economic efficiency of the network.

In less densely populated areas, on the other hand, the heat density is usually too low. Here, smaller micro-grids are more likely to be used, each supplying individual groups of houses.

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Loosely built-up peripheral locations with a low heat requirement per area are particularly suitable for a decentralised heat supply. As a rough guide: if the demand is permanently below 300 to 500 megawatt hours per hectare per year, operating a heating network is generally not economical - especially if long pipes would have to be laid or only a few connections could be made. In such areas, detached houses are typical, which usually have enough space for the installation of heat pumps; biogenic fuels can also play a role. It will be more difficult in areas where the gas network will no longer be available by 2045 at the latest.

In Dresden, districts such as Blasewitz, Loschwitz, Bühlau or the Radeberger Vorstadt generally offer good conditions for a decentralised supply. The situation is different in the city centre and especially in Neustadt, where the closed perimeter block development leaves little room for geothermal systems, noise protection requirements make the use of air heat pumps difficult and increased use of biomass would lead to air quality problems. These densely built-up areas are therefore predominantly allocated to existing or future district heating areas.

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In Dresden, hydrogen is not used across the board, but in specific areas where it is technically indispensable. This primarily concerns industrial processes that require very high temperatures of over 200 degrees Celsius, as well as applications in which hydrogen is used as a process gas.

For its use to be possible at all, an intact, hydrogen-compatible gas network, a connection to supra-regional pipelines and reliable sources of supply are required. As hydrogen will remain scarce and expensive for the foreseeable future, it will only be used very selectively.

Along planned hydrogen routes - for example to supply large district heating generators or certain industrial plants - it can also be examined in individual cases whether its use in building heating systems makes sense.

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Test areas are areas in Dresden for which it is not yet clear how they will be supplied with climate-friendly heat in the future. There are various options here - from a connection to a heating network and local heating solutions to decentralised heating systems with heat pumps or biogenic fuels. All test areas are being analysed step by step. The aim is to find out which supply is technically feasible, economically viable and climate-friendly in the long term. As soon as sufficient information is available, the areas will be clearly allocated - so that owners have planning security.

There are areas on the edge of the existing or planned district heating network where a connection could be economically viable. SachsenEnergie will promptly examine whether an expansion and connection is possible for these district heating network test areas.

In some neighbourhoods, a district heating connection does not make sense. However, there are good conditions here for smaller, locally organised heating networks - so-called local heating networks. However, the steps leading up to the realisation of a local heating network are complex and the areas concerned are initially listed as local heating network test areas.

There are also still unanswered questions when it comes to hydrogen. Pipeline-based solutions could be required in future, particularly for high-temperature processes in industry. These requirements will be examined more closely in the update of the heating plan.

No clear heat supply type has yet been determined for all other test areas. For the time being, these areas will be treated as decentralised supply areas. This means that heat is supplied individually - for example via heat pumps or with biogenic fuels.