Determinants of Sustainable Development of District Heating Systems

The heating sector, which accounts for half of the EU’s final energy consumption, still relies heavily on fossil fuels. This results in the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere. For this reason, the European Union has, for several years, been pursuing a climate and energy policy which, in the area of district heating, is intended to make it more efficient and sustainable. This means introducing low-carbon technologies and reducing fossil fuel consumption in favour of renewable energy sources. Modern efficient district heating systems should guarantee a reliable heat supply while reducing environmental impact. The article discusses the main factors important for the sustainable development of district heating. The potential and importance of the heating sector in the European Union member states was presented. Then, the factors affecting the development of this sector are shown and the directions of transformation of district heating systems with the use of renewable energy sources are discussed. It also presents the current structure of fuels consumed by the district heating sector in Europe and its projected development with the use of high-efficiency cogeneration and various renewable energy sources.