Competence Center for
Energy Transition (CC4E) Competence Center for Energy Transition (CC4E)

We develop and evaluate energy-efficient and climate-friendly heating solutions for buildings, neighbourhoods and industrial applications.

The transition to renewable heating is now more than ever at the centre of public debate – a debate that is often emotional and highly controversial. Nevertheless, the task remains clear: a climate-friendly, reliable and affordable heat supply is crucial to the success of the energy transition. The heating sector in particular offers significant potential for decarbonising the energy system, potential that has so far only been partially realised.

The structure of the heat supply is fundamentally different from that of the electricity supply. Unlike electrical energy, heat cannot be transported sensibly over long distances due to high losses. Heat generation must therefore be significantly more decentralised and located closer to the point of consumption than electricity production. In this country, most buildings have their own heat generation. The few exceptions are buildings that obtain their heat from district heating networks. Such supply systems need to be further expanded and optimised. This will make it possible to switch the heat supply to renewable heat sources, such as geothermal energy, solar thermal energy, heat pumps, waste heat from industry and commerce, and combined heat and power (CHP) based on renewable or synthetic raw materials. This is where several research projects at the CC4E come into play.

The CC4E’s research focuses on the transformation of heating networks. This primarily involves the development and control of smart heating networks, as well as the formulation of strategies for transforming district heating systems towards a fully renewable supply. Its core expertise lies in modelling, the distributed simulation of thermal systems, and the development of monitoring, control and regulation algorithms.

In this context the CC4E is investigating how, for example, flexible combined heat and power plants can be operated in such a way that they actively respond to fluctuating electricity demand. At the same time, researchers are examining how heat storage potential can be increased with the help of urban infrastructure. Another relevant area for managing the demand or consumption side is intelligent demand-side management. This increases energy-saving potential and can contribute significantly to improving the efficiency of district heating network operations. The diverse research approaches involve complex simulations, the results of which are further tested in field trials.

Another key activity is the process heat consultancy(LINK): through a practical consultancy service, the CC4E helps Hamburg-based companies to meet their fossil fuel-based process heat requirements in a climate-neutral way. In this way, the CC4E contributes directly to the transformation of regional industrial processes.