Municipal heat planning in Erlangen

So-called suitability areas are identified in the municipal heating plan. Within these areas, the construction or expansion of heating networks is theoretically possible. Whether and when an actual connection will be made will be decided gradually over the coming years as part of concrete expansion planning. If you would like to know now whether a connection is possible for your building, you can contact the municipal utilities directly at waermewende@estw.de.

Outside of the suitability areas, a connection to a heating network is not realistic. In the long term, you will have to switch to your own renewable heating solution such as a heat pump.

The distinction between local and district heating is not clearly defined. In Erlangen, the term district heating refers to the central heat supply in the city center. Local heating networks are smaller networks with fewer households in urban areas outside the city center.

The costs for local and district heating depend on the respective heating network. Tariff information on the district heating network can be obtained from Erlanger Stadtwerke (ESTW) under ESTW - Erlanger Stadtwerke AG - Netzanschluss. When a new heating network is built, potential customers are usually informed in advance about the possible future tariff.

In terms of the initial investment, connecting to a heating network is usually significantly cheaper than installing a new heating system. The connection to a heating network can be subsidized via the KfW heating subsidy.

Connection to a local or district heating network is voluntary in Erlangen. You can also opt for an alternative heat generator.

The conversion of district heating generation to renewable energies is part of the district heating transformation plan. Instead of natural gas, the future heat supply will primarily rely on large heat pumps with waste heat recovery, for example from the Regnitz river and a data center. Other renewable energy sources such as hydrogen and direct electricity will be used for peak loads. The switch from natural gas to renewable heat generation will take place step by step over the next few years.

The Building Energy Act (GEG) regulates the type of heating that can be used: New heating systems installed by June 2026 must run on 15% renewable energy from 2029, 30% from 2035 and 60% from 2040.

New heating systems installed in the city from July 2026 must normally be operated with 65% renewable energy.

The following options are available: Within a suitability area, connection to a heating network may be possible (see above). Furthermore, the following heat generators are available for existing buildings to ensure the proportion of renewable energy: Heat pump, biomass (wood chips, pellets, logs), biogas can only be recommended to a limited extent (see next question).

Newly installed gas heating systems are usually "H2-ready", i.e. suitable for the proportional combustion of hydrogen. However, hydrogen is not yet available for heating buildings and will not be in the future, or only to a limited extent. Hydrogen as an energy source will only be available in limited quantities and will be correspondingly expensive. Further information on this is available from the consumer advice center.

Biogas can already be mixed with natural gas. But here too, as soon as demand increases, the price will rise accordingly.

It is therefore not recommended to rely on hydrogen or biogas to heat buildings. In the best case scenario, the use of a heat pump or connection to a heating network should be considered.

There is no obligation to connect to heating networks. This means that you can voluntarily opt for your own decentralized solution and install a heat pump, for example.

The grid operators are legally obliged to allow the connection of heat pumps. The electricity grid is continuously being expanded and modernized by the municipal utilities. Furthermore, the grid operators have the right to throttle larger consumers in individual cases. Electricity bottlenecks due to the increasing use of electrical consumers such as heat pumps or electric cars are therefore not to be expected.

You can take advantage of the KfW federal subsidy for efficient buildings for energy-efficient refurbishment.

When replacing the heat generator, you can apply for a grant of up to 70% via the KfW heating subsidy.

Do you have questions about the municipal heating plan in general? Please contact waermewende@stadt.erlangen.de.
Do you have specific energy-related questions about your individual building? Contact the city's free energy advice service or the Stadtwerke energy advice center, which is also free of charge.
Would you like to know specifically whether a connection to a heating network is possible or planned for your building? Contact waermewende@estw.de.