On 16 September 2026, the Lithuanian Energy Institute hosted the seminar “Prospects for Lithuania’s smaller municipalities in decarbonizing heat supply systems”, organised within the DecarbonDHS project, co-funded by the Interreg South Baltic Programme. The event brought together 93 participants, including representatives of a large number of Lithuanian district heating companies, energy authorities and experts. The seminar focused on the challenges and opportunities facing smaller municipalities and district heating companies as they work towards the decarbonisation of their heat supply systems (Fig. 1).
The seminar opened with an introduction to the DecarbonDHS project by Dr Rimantas Bakas, head of the Lithuanian project team. Agnė Bagočiūtė, Director of the Lithuanian Energy Agency, presented the priorities for the transformation of Lithuania’s energy sector. Matas Taparauskas, Deputy Chair of the National Energy Regulatory Council, discussed developments in heat-sector pricing and regulation and their relevance to the implementation of decarbonisation measures. The technological perspective was introduced by Valdas Lukoševičius, President of the Lithuanian District Heating Association, who provided an overview of modern solutions and possible pathways for their implementation by heat supply companies.
The programme then explored a range of technologies that can support the transition towards more efficient and low-carbon district heating. Rokas Valančius from JSC Elmitra shared practical experience with the efficient use of heat pumps in public and multi-apartment buildings, while Tadas Lukoševičius from CT Industry Oy presented Power-to-Heat solutions currently available on the market. Valdas Garmus from UAB Termolink discussed combined heat and power and ORC solutions, including the technical conditions required for their successful implementation in district heating companies.
Digitalisation was another important topic. Ramunė Gurklienė from the Lithuanian District Heating Association presented solutions for improving the efficiency of district heating systems developed within the Baltic EnerShift project. She also provided information on prospective EU and Lithuanian funding opportunities for district heating investments.
Finally, Assist. Prof. Egidijus Puida from Kaunas University of Technology addressed the role of thermal energy storage and heat accumulation in future district heating systems.
The presentations were followed by a discussion session (Fig. 2), allowing participants to raise practical questions, exchange experiences and discuss the conditions needed to implement decarbonisation solutions in smaller district heating systems.
The strong participation in the seminar demonstrated the importance of bringing together district heating operators, public authorities, researchers and technology experts to exchange knowledge and explore practical pathways towards cleaner and more efficient heat supply systems. The seminar contributed directly to the objectives of DecarbonDHS, which supports the transition and decarbonisation of district heating systems across the South Baltic Region.
Photo Gallery (Source: LEI).
