01/18/2024

Potential analysis: waste heat could cover up to 10 per cent of Berlin's future heating requirements

IÖW | ifeu

Companies such as data centres, large bakeries and coffee roasting plants generate a lot of heat, most of which has so far been released into the environment unused. The sum of all this heat can be an important source of energy for heating. A project now shows that the state of Berlin can cover up to ten per cent of its future heating requirements from such waste heat.

In addition to the manufacturing industry and the service sector, underground railway stations and tunnels and, in future, hydrogen production are also important sources of waste heat. The analysis by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg (ifeu) shows which measures the city can use to specifically promote the use of waste heat and incorporate it as a building block in Berlin's heat planning. It was commissioned by the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.

Berlin's waste heat comprehensively recorded for the first time
"Half of all CO2 emissions in Berlin are generated in the heating sector," says energy expert Julika Weiß from the IÖW. "Waste heat has long been seen as a complementary strategy for the climate-neutral conversion of the heating supply alongside the switch to renewable energies, but until now there has been no systematic knowledge base on this. For the first time, the potential analysis now shows what quantities of waste heat are available in Berlin and how they are likely to develop. On this basis, Berlin can strategically develop the utilisation of waste heat that cannot be avoided."

The scientists determined the waste heat potential by means of a company survey and expert interviews and involved stakeholders from Berlin's heating sector. The results show that the waste heat potential is currently just under 1,200 gigawatt hours per year. "In purely mathematical terms, this could currently provide three per cent of Berlin's heat consumption," explains Sebastian Blömer from the ifeu Institute. "In some areas in Berlin, an increase in waste heat volumes is to be expected in the future. This mainly concerns waste heat from additional data centres and from new plants for hydrogen production, so we assume that 3,800 gigawatt hours of waste heat will be generated in Berlin every year by 2045. Assuming that half of this can be utilised, waste heat could cover around ten per cent of Berlin's future heat consumption."

Systematically utilising waste heat
In their analysis, the scientists point out that waste heat in Berlin is mainly small-scale and at a low temperature level of up to 65 °C. "But even low temperatures of below 25 °C can be utilised for heat supply if the temperatures are raised using heat pumps," explains engineer Julika Weiß. "In order for the available waste heat to be utilised as quickly and comprehensively as possible, it is necessary for the state of Berlin to strategically set out to quickly integrate waste heat into the heat supply."

The scientists propose a package of measures for this purpose: For example, a central contact point with the possibility of initial consultation as well as subsidised initial consultation should be created and further offers for better financing of projects for the use of waste heat should be developed. They also recommend simplifying authorisation procedures and developing control and planning instruments in such a way that new companies with relevant quantities of waste heat are specifically located at sites with good off-take opportunities.

More information:
Download Final report (in German): Bestimmung des Potenzials von Abwärme in Berlin

Download Press graphic