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Dear Reader,
As usual, in the 64th edition of our heatbeat Research Newsletter, we present two recent articles. One about optimizing district heating networks and one about the current state of digitalization in district heating systems. We would also like to use this newsletter to give you a brief overview of the most important developments and news about heatbeat and our Digital Twin.
Right at the start of the year, we presented the current development status of our heatbeat Digital Twin and the most important developments from the last three months in our Feature Update Live Webinar on January 15, 2026. Highlights included improved display of key figures for the heating network in the project overview, support for multiple feed-in points in network processing and dimensioning, and annual simulation of network operation and generator utilization. A summary of the webinar is also available at https://heatbeat.de/en/blog/96/ , and we invite you to register for the next Feature Update Live Webinar on April 22, 2026, at. http://heatbeat.de/feature-update
Another highlight in January was the Stadtwerke Impact Days in Lübeck, where we had exciting discussions and gained new insights and contacts. We were particularly pleased that our collaboration with the city of Aachen on pilot areas for local heating networks in the city was presented as part of a lecture. In addition, we made significant progress in our projects to create transformation plans and feasibility studies, as well as in the municipal heating plans we are supporting. Among other things, we were able to present the final report of the KWP to the Eldenburg Lübz municipal authority. We also had a productive start to the new year in our research projects, including an important project meeting in BestWärmKI, where we are currently preparing the pilot operation for the live optimization of the Wunsiedel municipal utility company's heating network together with our partners. We are excited about the findings and will also derive important further developments for our digital twin from them.
The authors propose a new DHN design method that — in contrast to classical cost only optimization—explicitly incorporates energy efficiency and consumer level thermal comfort into the evaluation of network layouts. Using a graphbased heuristic framework, they generate and compare cost optimized and efficiency optimized network designs across two scales:only optimization—explicitly incorporates energy efficiency and consumerlevel thermal comfort into the evaluation of network layouts. Using a graphbased heuristic framework, they generate and compare costoptimized and efficiencyoptimized network designs across two scales:
Across small networks, 83 % of initial shortest path designs were improved by optimization. Cost optimized networks reduced investment cost by an average of 6.5 %, while also increasing efficiency slightly (~ 0.5 %). However, efficiency optimized networks often required significant additional cost, with 76 % of cases exceeding a 25 % cost increase per 1 % efficiency gain, and only six cases achieving < 10 % marginal cost per efficiency point.path designs were improved by optimization. Costoptimized networks reduced investment cost by an average of 6.5%, while also increasing efficiency slightly (~0.5%). However, efficiencyoptimized networks often required significant additional cost, with 76% of cases exceeding a 25% cost increase per 1% efficiency gain, and only six cases achieving <10% marginal cost per efficiency point.
In the large Delft DHN, efficiency improvements were far more cost effective:effective:
This work quantifies what DHN engineers intuitively know but rarely see expressed in numbers: efficiency-oriented network layouts can dramatically improve consumer comfort, resilience, and energy requirements, but the cost-effectiveness strongly depends on district scale, topology, and demand distribution. For larger systems, efficiency improvements may be surprisingly economical. The study also highlights that cost only design is shortsighted — as many European DHNs struggle with consumer acceptance, designing for comfort and robustness is increasingly essential.oriented network layouts can dramatically improve consumer comfort, resilience, and energy requirements, but the costeffectiveness strongly depends on district scale, topology, and demand distribution. For larger systems, efficiency improvements may be surprisingly economical. The study also highlights that costonly design is shortsighted—as many European DHNs struggle with consumer acceptance, designing for comfort and robustness is increasingly essential.
This comprehensive review synthesizes 168 scientific and technical publications (2010–2024) to map how digitalization — spanning sensors, analytics, automation, digital twins, and cybersecurity — is reshaping DH system operation. The authors structure the analysis along the DH value chain:
Demand side:
Digital meters, building level sensors, and data analytics enable deeper insight into space heating and DHW patterns, disaggregation of loads, and fault detection. Numerous studies show potential to lower return temperatures, improve DSM (demand side management), and enable MP based control — yet data quality remains a key barrier (low resolution, missing values, inconsistent metadata).level sensors, and data analytics enable deeper insight into space heating and DHW patterns, disaggregation of loads, and fault detection. Numerous studies show potential to lower return temperatures, improve DSM (demandside management), and enable MPCbased control—yet data quality remains a key barrier (low resolution, missing values, inconsistent metadata).
System level:
Digital tools enable predictive production scheduling (often MILP based), supply temperature optimization, integration of renewables and forecasting of networkwide heat loads. System level fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) remain underdeveloped but is rapidly advancing through AI and hybrid physical/data driven approaches, especially for leak detection, sensor fault diagnosis, and anomaly detection.based), supplytemperature optimization, integration of renewables, and forecasting of networkwide heat loads. Systemlevel FDD remains underdeveloped but is rapidly advancing through AI and hybrid physical/datadriven approaches, especially for leak detection, sensorfault diagnosis, and anomaly detection.
Digital infrastructure:
Digital twins emerge as a cornerstone technology, supporting real time monitoring, operational optimization, virtual commissioning, and laboratory testing. Field studies report:time monitoring, operational optimization, virtual commissioning, and laboratory testing. Field
Cybersecurity & IoT:
As DH systems become more connected, they face rising risks from false data injection and coordinated cyberattacks. Emerging solutions include blockchain based dispatch, fine grained access control, and reinforcement learning based cybermedicine.data injection and coordinated cyberattacks. Emerging solutions include blockchainbased dispatch, finegrained access control, and reinforcementlearningbased cyberresilience.
Digitalization is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for the next generation of low temperature, multisource, renewable rich DH systems. However, the review underscores systemic gaps: uneven sensor deployment, lack of real time data standards, immature digital twins, and unresolved cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Moving toward interoperable, data driven infrastructures is essential for making 4GDH and 5GDH visions operational.temperature, multisource, renewablerich DH systems. However, the review underscores systemic gaps: uneven sensor deployment, lack of realtime data standards, immature digital twins, and unresolved cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Moving toward driven infrastructures is essential for making 4GDH and 5GDH visions operational.
As always, we recommend reading the full articles. We at heatbeat support our customers within both fields. Bringing the digitalization to the next level with our heatbeat Digital Twin and with that we can easily compare different network layouts and their efficiency to help understanding the best possible solution for our customers.
In addition to these exciting findings from research and insights into our further development of the heatbeat Digital Twin, we would like to highlight two further topics:
Firstly, there was an important change in January regarding federal funding for efficient heating networks. As was already clear, transformation plans will no longer be eligible for funding once the legal obligation comes into force in 2026. Now, the BAFA has announced that funding for transformation plans can only be applied for until April 1, 2026. Therefore, it is important to act quickly if you want to take advantage of the funding—we are happy to provide support at short notice, from preparing the application to drawing up the transformation plan.
Secondly, QM Thermische Netze has fundamentally revised its planning manual. We are naturally delighted that the new chapter on optimizing thermal networks also includes a separate section on digital twins—recognizing that these are already an “indispensable tool.”
Looking ahead to February, we look forward to seeing you at our joint stand with ENERPIPE at E-World in Essen – the trade fair will take place from February 10 to 12, and we will be happy to show you our heatbeat Digital Twin and give you an overview of our range of solutions. In addition, our online seminar “Heating networks with and without municipal heat planning” is already scheduled for February 5, also in cooperation with ENERPIPE. You can register for free here.
The next issue of our newsletter will be published on March 4, 2026.