Open Heat Grid

The primary research topic of OPEN HEAT GRID was the investigation of the possibilities for forcing the feeding of industrial waste heat into existing district heating networks. The project results show that waste heat is not free: despite minimal variable costs, the investment costs have to pay off within the usual amortization periods. The analysis shows that there is no need for state regulation in the sense of a feed-in obligation or market liberalization. From an economic point of view, however, there are information asymmetries that can prove to be a complexity trap.