The REHEATEAST project has published its second Policy Brief, entitled “Strengthening Stakeholder Cooperation for the Transition of District Heating and Cooling Systems”, which presents practical recommendations for improving governance, coordination and stakeholder engagement in the countries of the Eastern Danube Region.
Effective cooperation is key to accelerating the sustainable energy transition
District heating and cooling (DHC) systems are expected to play an important role in achieving Europe’s goals for climate neutrality, energy security and decarbonisation. In the countries of the Eastern Danube Region, ageing infrastructure, rising energy costs and continued dependence on fossil fuels further increase the need to modernise heating systems.

The REHEATEAST analysis shows that a successful transition requires not only investment and technological innovation, but also closer cooperation between national institutions, local authorities, district heating companies, investors, representatives of the housing sector and consumers. In this process, municipalities stand out as key coordinators of local energy transition initiatives and stakeholder engagement.
Governance gaps and implementation barriers continue to slow progress
Based on in-depth consultations and surveys among stakeholders in eight countries, a number of persistent challenges to the transformation of district heating and cooling systems have been identified. These include fragmented policy frameworks, overlapping institutional responsibilities, regulatory uncertainty, limited institutional capacity and insufficient coordination between different levels of governance.

The analysis also shows that stakeholder cooperation often remains informal and tied to specific projects, while consumer participation in planning and implementation processes is still insufficient. Country-level findings further confirm that existing barriers differ significantly between countries, which calls for more targeted national approaches and stronger institutional support.

Targeted policies can accelerate implementation and stimulate investment.

To address these challenges, the document proposes a set of concrete recommendations aimed at strengthening governance, improving stakeholder cooperation and accelerating the practical implementation of measures for the transformation of the sector.

The recommended actions include developing coherent long-term frameworks for the development of district heating and cooling, improving coordination between energy and spatial planning, establishing permanent platforms for stakeholder dialogue, supporting municipalities through technical expertise and project preparation capacity, and simplifying administrative and permitting procedures.

The document also highlights the importance of predictable financing conditions and faster deployment of solutions based on renewable energy sources and waste heat recovery as important prerequisites for achieving long-term decarbonisation goals.

Policymakers, experts and all stakeholders are invited to read the full document, which presents national perspectives and concrete recommendations for strengthening cooperation and accelerating the sustainable transformation of district heating and cooling systems in the Eastern Danube Region.