Inconsistencies in the EU’s energy legislation of Waste Heat
In their recently published paper in Utilities Policy, Marie-Theres Holzleitner-Senck, Simon Moser, and Michael Denk take a close look at the waste heat definition in the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). Their analysis reveals that the current definition is complex and creates uncertainties in practical implementation – particularly because it only recognizes waste heat when delivered to district heating systems with cogeneration. Furthermore, the partial overlap with “renewable” heat sources, especially the term “ambient energy,” remains unclear.
The authors propose a clearer approach to ensure that waste heat -whether from industry or the tertiary sector – can be utilized more efficiently and better integrated into energy strategies.
Interested? The article can be accessed here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957178724001747
