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Heat transition in Nellingen: Ostfildern on the way to climate neutrality!
Ostfildern is planning a climate-neutral heating network by 2040. Feasibility study examines historical districts and economic viability.
Heat transition in Nellingen: Ostfildern on the way to climate neutrality!
A big step towards climate-neutral heat supply is approaching in Ostfildern: The city has started a feasibility study for a heating network in Nellingen. This could soon lead the historic town center and many households into a sustainable future. The goal is clear: Ostfildern wants to switch its heat supply completely to renewable energies by 2040. At the moment, however, the reality looks different, because around 80% of the heat currently comes from fossil fuels such as gas and oil, like Stuttgart News reported.
In 2020, the heat requirement in Ostfildern was 350 gigawatt hours, with almost three quarters of this being used by private households. The cost framework for the feasibility study amounts to over 135,500 euros, which is covered by an approved funding application from the Federal Office of Economics. The study will examine the technical feasibility and economic viability of the planned heating network and will also show how many residential units can potentially benefit from this environmentally friendly solution.
Sustainable heat supply
But what exactly is a heating network and why is it so important? A heating network represents a communal heat supply that can drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels. Heat from renewable sources, such as geothermal energy, solar thermal energy or waste heat, is delivered to the house via appropriate infrastructure. According to the experts at Scientists4Future, heating networks are particularly advantageous because they cause far fewer CO2 emissions and also make economic sense in the long term.
The switch to such systems is becoming more attractive due to the rising natural gas prices caused by the Ukraine conflict. Municipalities are required to strategically plan heat supply in order to significantly reduce the greenhouse gases generated by building traffic by 2045. The importance of solid planning is also reflected in the specific process that Ostfildern is now following.
The example of Berlin
A look at Berlin could show how it can work: In the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, a new building project is currently being realized on a former military training area. Around 2,500 apartments as well as educational and leisure areas are being built on around 36 hectares, all connected by an emission-free heating network. The feasibility study for this was last completed in March 2025, and here too the focus is on the technical and economic aspects in order to ensure long-term sustainable and profitable heat supply, as ecomind reports. These plans include, among other things, the use of geothermal energy and air-water heat pumps, which makes it possible to cover the total heat requirement of approximately 5,329 MWh annually from renewable sources.
Such an approach could serve as a model for many other cities. The discussion about the creation of common heat supply systems is becoming increasingly louder in local politics, and it is time for a good hand in planning in Ostfildern and beyond. Ultimately, the future depends not only on the decisions made today, but also on the concrete steps that are necessary to implement municipal heating projects.