The DecarbonDHS project partners gathered in the coastal city of Rostock for a two-day event held on June 2-3, 2025, including a seminar with local stakeholders as well as a study tour to explore forward-thinking strategies for decarbonizing district heating systems.
The event began on with a seminar titled “Current State and Prospective Solutions for the Baltic Sea Region,” held at the Neptun Hotel and organized by IWEN Energy Institute gGmbH (Fig. 2). The seminar opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Uwe Ritschel (IWEN) and an inspiring introduction from Prof. Adam Cenian (IMP PAN), who outlined the mission of DecarbonDHS – being acceleration of the transition to low-carbon, energy-efficient heating systems throughout the region.
A series of expert presentations followed, shedding light on key issues such as municipal heat planning, modernization of traditional systems, biomass integration, and geothermal potential. Speakers included Dr. Ralf Tschullik – from Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock, Dr. Leteng Lin – from Linnaeus University, Mieczysław Dzierzgowski – from Warsaw University of Technology , Dr. Andre Deinhardt – Geothermie Neubrandenburg GmbH, and Jan Schmidt – Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR), each offering unique insights rooted in both research and real-world application.
The seminar provided more than just knowledge—it created a vibrant forum for dialogue, where participants could exchange ideas, explore collaboration, and address shared challenges in an open and engaging environment.
On Tuesday, June 3, 2025 the DecarbonDHS group moved from theory to practice during a study visit to Stadtwerke Rostock AG, the city’s energy utility. The visit offered a valuable, first-hand look at how the energy transition is being implemented at the municipal level. Participants were welcomed by Mr Johannes Beyer, who delivered a detailed presentation on Stadtwerke Rostock’s current energy system, with a particular focus on future-oriented developments aimed at reducing carbon emissions and integrating sustainable technologies (Fig. 3). The group engaged in meaningful discussions around the decarbonisation of district heating, reflecting on how innovations seen in Rostock could serve as models for other regions.
The highlight of the day was a guided tour of the utility’s facilities, including an impressive heat storage installation. Seeing these systems up close brought a practical dimension to the theoretical knowledge shared the previous day. The visit concluded with a group photo, capturing the shared spirit of purpose and cooperation that defined the entire event (Fig. 4).
At the end of the this excellent two-day project event, we thank Stadtwerke Rostock AG for their kind hospitality, and above all – Arvid Langenbach and the IWEN team for organizing a well-run and informative program.
🎥 To keep the momentum going, the DecarbonDHS team is also releasing two short videos capturing the key moments and atmosphere of the event:
