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They supply districts, business parks or municipal buildings with heat and yet usually remain invisible: energy centres are the technical heart of modern heat networks. In this interview, Dr Markus Pröll explains which tasks they perform, how different heat sources are brought together into a single integrated system, what distinguishes classical heat networks from cold local heat, and why the energy centre is a key driver of efficiency, economic viability and future‑readiness.

Greenhouse gas emissions are becoming a real cost factor for industrial companies—particularly where natural gas and other fossil fuels are still used for heating and production. At the same time, emissions trading offers the opportunity to future-proof heat supply and energy systems.
*Why 28 million reasons? – Answer in the text: Example from a real industrial facility.

Rising energy costs are a major challenge for the hospitality industry, as they significantly increase operating expenses and reduce profit margins. Investing in energy efficiency is therefore a logical and necessary step—for all hotels, but especially for wellness resorts. At the same time, another challenge remains: guests expect both sustainability and high levels of comfort, and are not always willing to actively save energy.

Ice rinks face major challenges in the face of climate change and rising energy costs. They represent a significant cost factor for operators and local authorities alike. In his master’s thesis entitled ‘Ice rinks in the face of climate change – Analysis and assessment of energy efficiency potential using dynamic simulations’, Sebastian Lederer examined the operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of refrigeration systems employing direct CO₂ evaporation or indirect ammonia systems. The dynamic simulation model examines two types of ice rink.

...and how we can still get projects off the ground safely.

When more and more companies in the energy sector find themselves in financial difficulties, it is much more than a series of unfortunate individual cases – it is a signal to the entire energy transition in Germany. Even innovative, well-positioned players are vulnerable when market conditions fluctuate, funding decisions are delayed or approval processes stall. 
The year 2025 makes it clear: technology is not the problem – the framework conditions are.

Even though some municipal utilities are currently lowering gas prices again and the start of ETS II has been postponed by a year, heating in Germany is set to become steadily more expensive in the future. According to the non-profit consulting firm co2online, all forms of energy are affected – whether oil, gas, district heating or wood pellets. (As of November 2025).
The cost of fossil fuels is rising particularly sharply: according to forecasts, heating costs for gas and oil will be around three times higher in twenty years than they are today.

What to do with green waste, sewage sludge and other biogenic residues? Pyrolysis could be the answer: it transforms waste into valuable carbon stores and creates new avenues for climate protection and the circular economy – even at the municipal level. As a forward-looking technology for sustainable energy and resource strategies, it is particularly interesting for municipalities as a building block for a climate- and environmentally-friendly future strategy.

A food processing facility in southern Germany faces the challenge of replacing its fossil fuel-based steam generation with a sustainable heating concept while complying with the highest standards of hygiene and production safety. It may sound like a specialised solution, but it is a common scenario in the food industry. Hardly any other sector places such high demands on heat, water and cleanliness – and at the same time offers so much potential for successful decarbonisation. In this article, we show how hygienically safe, renewable heating solutions for food companies are planned – from both a technical and strategic perspective.

UPDATE: The new EU ETS II with it a binding CO₂ price for buildings and transport will NOW start in 2028 – one year later then originally planned.   
Although trading will not begin earlier, the reporting phase is already underway: those affected should start recording emissions data, setting up internal processes and reviewing CO₂ cost scenarios now. We explain how ETS II works and what steps companies should take today to avoid high certificate costs.

Rivers flow through Germany for over 400,000 kilometres – and offer a source of climate-friendly heat that has hardly been exploited to date. Aquathermal energy, i.e. heat generation from surface water, enables buildings and neighbourhoods to be supplied with renewable energy via heat pumps.
Studies such as the Hydro2HEAT project at the Technical University of Braunschweig show that many cities could cover a large part – in some cases even all – of their space heating requirements from adjacent rivers.