During the conference "The Future of District Heating: International Experience, Innovative Technologies, and Digital Solutions," held in May at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, a joint event organized by the university and the ReWarm project of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) focused on discussing key issues related to the modernization of district heating systems. Particular attention was given to the application of heat pump technologies, including those based on geothermal energy sources, as well as the implementation of digital solutions for the intelligent management of district heating networks.
The event was moderated by Dr. Winfried Damm, Director of the ReWarm project. It brought together representatives of government authorities, international organizations, local communities, district heating companies, technology manufacturers, as well as researchers and industry experts.
At the opening ceremony, representatives of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and the ReWarm project signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at expanding their existing partnership in the fields of energy efficiency improvement and energy sector decarbonization. It is worth noting that, with the support of GIZ, the Energy Innovation Hub was previously established at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute within the framework of the project "Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Implementation of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive in Ukraine." The Hub serves as a platform for developing modern energy-efficient solutions, providing hands-on training for students, and strengthening cooperation between the university, local communities, and businesses.
The participants were welcomed by Viktoriia Hryb, Member of the Parliament of Ukraine and Head of the Subcommittee on Energy Security of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities, representatives of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, and Dr. Winfried Damm, Director of the ReWarm project.
The first day of the program focused on the reconstruction and modernization of district heating systems. Experts presented practical recommendations for transforming the heating sector based on the experience of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Eastern Germany, Latvia, and Poland. Particular attention was paid to analyzing the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with European Union regulations in the field of district heating. Participants actively discussed the prospects for using geothermal energy and heat pumps in district heating systems of Ukrainian cities. Practical case studies of such projects were presented, including the experience of the city of Khmelnytskyi, as well as concepts for using heat pumps in the heating systems of the cities of Sheptytskyi and Starokostiantyniv.
Representatives of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, industry experts, and representatives of district heating companies joined the discussion on overcoming organizational barriers to the implementation of modern energy-efficient solutions and the prospects for the development of the heating sector.
Particular attention was paid to updating the regulatory framework, developing digital management systems, and training specialists for the modernization of municipal heating infrastructure. Active participation in the discussion of current challenges was taken by Serhii Manziuk, Vice-Rector for Administrative and Financial Affairs of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute; Olena Shevchenko, Director of the Scientific and Educational Center for Energy Decarbonization – Energy Innovation Hub; as well as researchers from the university’s specialized departments. In particular, Volodymyr Voloshchuk, Head of the Department of Energy Processes Automation, presented research results on improving the efficiency of heat pump systems and digital management of energy processes.
The second day of the joint event focused on the application of geographic information systems (GIS) in the heating sector. Participants discussed modern digital solutions for managing heating networks, the integration of historical data, the risks of migrating between platforms, and the prospects for creating unified urban GIS systems for managing engineering infrastructure. Valerii Shvaiko, lecturer at the Department of Software Engineering in Energy, shared the university’s experience in this area.
"The event once again confirmed the important role of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute as a platform for professional dialogue between science, business, communities, and international partners in the fields of energy efficiency and energy decarbonization in Ukraine," Olena Shevchenko noted in a conversation with a correspondent of Kyiv Polytechnic. "According to the Memorandum between Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and the ReWarm project, specialists from the Energy Innovation Hub will now contribute to consulting communities on municipal energy planning and will also develop solutions for sustainable energy supply of heating systems. In addition, Energy Innovation Hub experts will participate in updating relevant educational programs, support the development of the ReWarm digital library for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and dissemination of best practices among stakeholders."