A third of the municipalities start the heat planning for climate protection!

A third of the German municipalities have already started creating heat plans. This emerges from information from the competence center heat transition in Halle (Saale). Large cities in particular are encouraged to present their heat plans by mid -2026. 13 percent of the municipalities have already completed their heat plans in Baden-Württemberg. Of the 160 completed heat plans nationwide, 148 date from this state. A total of 3652 out of 10,754 municipalities, which corresponds to 34 percent, have started with heat planning.

The highest proportions of active municipalities can be found in North Rhine-Westphalia (72 percent), Saarland (64 percent), Rhineland-Palatinate (52 percent), Lower Saxony (47 percent) and Saxony-Anhalt (43 percent). In contrast, Thuringia (11 percent), Saxony (18 percent) and Bavaria (18 percent) show low activity in heat planning. Local heat planning is considered a central part of German climate policy. The municipalities are required to define technologies and energy sources that are suitable for their region to create investment and planning security for owners, companies and municipalities.

regulations and challenges in heat planning

municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants have time until mid-2026 to complete their plans, smaller municipalities until 2028. Some municipalities, in particular from Saxony-Anhalt, express criticism of the lack of legal regulation by the state governments that make action and data collection difficult.

heat plans are decisive for climate-neutral heat supply, as well as Um.baden-wuertttemberg.de They support municipalities with investment decisions and aim to drastically reduce the heat requirement in buildings. In addition, future warming hardships are to be covered from renewable energies and waste heat. The local adaptation is particularly important due to the difficult transport of heat compared to electricity.

Every municipality develops its individual heat plan, which takes into account the local situation and serves as a strategic basis for future heat supply and sustainable urban development. The climate protection and climate change adjustment law in Baden-Württemberg allows the municipalities to create and continue a heat plan. City circles and large district cities had to present such a plan until December 31, 2023. More than 50 percent of the population in Baden-Württemberg is affected by these heat plans.

Baden-Württemberg has been the nationwide pioneer in municipal heat planning since 2020. From January 1, 2024, the federal heat planning law will come into force, with heat plans retained their existing protection under state law. The process comprises four central elements: inventory analysis, potential analysis, setting up a target scenario and the development of a heat change strategy. These elements help to combine potential and needs and to define possible uses of energy sources.

Regular coordination between heat and urban planning plays an essential role. The Competence Center Heat turn at the KEA-BW acts as a central contact for heat planning in Baden-Württemberg and offers online resources as well as regional advice centers that support municipalities in planning and implementation.