The project kick-off event of the ADerN network (“Expansion and Digitization of Efficient Renewable Local Heating Networks”) attracted around 40 interested parties to the Digital Founders Center Einstein1 last week. The aim of the project is to network players in the Bavarian local heating sector and thus strengthen the local heating industry in the Free State.
The network partners and the team of the project ADerN of the Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) gathered for the first time at a network meeting to explain the project, its goals and the planned course and to set first impulses for the cooperation in the network. The event was attended by companies from the local heating sector and heating network operators, as well as planning offices and companies and municipalities planning to build local heating networks in the future.
Program sequence
After the welcome by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Plessing, the scientific director of the Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) at Hof University of Applied Sciences, three guest lectures awaited the visitors on the topics of “Development and current status of local and district heating”, “Smart local heating in (newly built) neighborhoods” and “Current obstacles to the construction and expansion of local heating networks”. The guest speakers from partner companies of the network were able to provide interesting insights into the current situation of local and district heating in Bavaria, but also outlooks into the future development of the industry.
In further presentations, the network participants received information about the Institute for Water and Energy Management at Hof University of Applied Sciences and its research projects “ADerN” and “PuLama”. In the latter, a buffer storage and load management system (PuLama) that depends on user behavior is to be developed so that the heat produced by the woodchip boiler can be fully utilized.
Lively exchange and first cooperation opportunities
Already during the presentations there was a lively exchange among the participants. In the final discussion, the guests provided very good impulses and important suggestions that the ADerN team can use for further steps in the project. For example, it was suggested that a network operators’ regulars’ table be set up in the future to offer local heating network operators from the region the opportunity to get in touch and exchange ideas in regular meetings. In addition, the network should be used to develop opportunities for future cooperation and follow-up projects.
Workshops for interested parties
In addition to networking, the ADerN project also offers the opportunity for further training for network partners. These continuing education workshops will be developed in conjunction with the companies in the network to provide maximum benefit to those interested. For these workshops, surveys will be conducted among network participants in the coming weeks to gather knowledge and interest levels for planning the training sessions. The next network meeting is scheduled for mid-year.
