Starting point / motivation

The heat transition is a key pillar for achieving climate neutrality by 2040, particularly in the building sector. Austria's national heat strategy and the EU's RED II directive call for a significant decarbonisation of the heat supply and require that existing district heating networks be opened to third-party access.

However, in many small towns, fossil-based, decentralised heating systems still dominate. In the town of Rust (Burgenland), approximately 460 out of 1,180 buildings are currently heated with fossil fuels, resulting in an estimated annual heat demand of 15 GWh — representing significant potential for a local heating network. At the same time, the region offers diverse renewable resources such as solar thermal energy, biomass, industrial waste heat, and surplus electricity from PV and wind.

Existing district heating systems (2nd and 3rd generation) are technically inflexible, operate at high temperatures, and are poorly suited for the integration of low-temperature renewable sources or for the provision of cooling. A modern, open, and modular local heating network that meets the requirements of 4th and 5th generation systems is therefore essential to reconcile energy security, economic feasibility, and climate targets.

Contents and goals

The aim of Fit4Heat_Rust is to develop an innovative, sector-coupled heating network concept for the town of Rust. This concept will allow for the flexible integration of renewable heat sources and cooling, as well as third-party access in line with RED II.

Key innovations of the project include:

• Technical design of a modular heating network with variable temperature regimes,
• Integration of decentralised heat suppliers (e.g., solar thermal, hotel waste heat, biomass),
• Cross-sectoral synergies, such as the use of PV surplus for heat generation,
• Provision of cooling through reversible systems to address the impacts of climate change,
• Regulatory preparation for third-party access and flexible business models.

Methods

Concept development, evaluations, participatory methods and legal and regulatory analyses are applied. The project's innovative value lies in the systematic combination of technical, economic, regulatory, and participatory dimensions into a viable, forward-looking system specifically tailored to the structure and needs of small urban areas like Rust.

Expected results

The project will result in a comprehensive and implementation-ready concept for a local heating network in Rust, serving as the basis for a follow-up demonstration project. Expected outcomes include:

• A technical concept for a flexible local heating network with multiple system variants and architectures (including cooling),
• Evaluation of economic feasibility, energy efficiency, climate impact, and supply security,
• Active engagement of local stakeholders (e.g., households, businesses, public institutions, utilities) to ensure acceptance and co-creation,
• Legal and regulatory analysis of third-party access, feed-in models, and system boundaries in accordance with RED II.

The project will serve as a model for other Austrian towns facing similar structural and energy-related challenges, and will contribute to the achievement of national and European climate and energy targets.

Project management

4ward Energy Research GmbH

Project or cooperation partners

• BE Energy GmbH
• Forschung Burgenland GmbH
• ZCT Solutions GmbH

4ward Energy Research GmbH
Robert Pratter
Reininghausstraße 13a
A-8020 Graz
Tel.: +43 (664) 885 003 37
E-mail: robert.pratter@4wardenergy.at
Web: www.4wardenergy.at