The REHEATEAST project has published its second Policy Brief, Strengthening Stakeholder Cooperation for the Transition of District Heating and Cooling Systems, presenting practical recommendations to improve governance, coordination and stakeholder engagement across the Eastern Danube Region.
Effective cooperation is essential for accelerating sustainable heating transition
District heating and cooling (DHC) systems are expected to play a major role in achieving Europe’s climate neutrality, energy security and decarbonisation objectives. Across the Eastern Danube Region, ageing infrastructure, rising energy costs and continued dependence on fossil fuels are increasing the urgency of heating system modernisation. The REHEATEAST analysis confirms that successful transition requires not only investment and technological innovation, but also stronger cooperation between governments, municipalities, utilities, investors, housing actors and consumers. In particular, municipalities are recognised as key coordinators of local heating transition processes and stakeholder engagement.
Governance gaps and implementation barriers continue to slow progress
Based on extensive stakeholder consultations and surveys conducted across eight countries, the Policy Brief identifies several persistent challenges affecting DHC transition. These include fragmented policy frameworks, overlapping institutional responsibilities, regulatory uncertainty, limited municipal capacities and weak coordination between governance levels. The analysis also highlights that stakeholder cooperation often remains informal and project-based, while consumer involvement in planning and implementation processes is still insufficient. Country-specific findings further demonstrate that barriers differ significantly across the region, requiring more tailored national approaches and stronger institutional support.
Targeted policy action can strengthen implementation and support investment
To address these challenges, the Policy Brief outlines a set of concrete policy recommendations focused on strengthening governance, improving stakeholder cooperation and accelerating implementation. Recommended actions include establishing coherent long-term DHC frameworks, improving coordination between energy and spatial planning policies, creating permanent multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms, supporting municipalities with technical expertise and project preparation capacities, and simplifying administrative and permitting procedures. The Policy Brief also underlines the importance of stable financing conditions and faster deployment of renewable and waste heat solutions to support long-term decarbonisation objectives.
Policymakers and stakeholders are invited to read the full Policy Brief to explore the detailed analysis, country-specific perspectives and policy recommendations needed to strengthen cooperation and accelerate the sustainable transformation of DHC systems across the Eastern Danube Region.
