Pannon EGTC

The closing conference of the REHEATEAST project was held in Pécs on 27–28 May 2026, bringing together the results of two and a half years of international professional cooperation. As the Lead Partner, the Pannon European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (Pannon EGTC) coordinated the project, which was implemented under the Interreg Danube Region Programme. The project’s main objective was to reduce the dependence of district heating systems on fossil fuels while promoting more sustainable and energy-efficient district heating solutions across the Eastern Danube Region. The project was implemented between January 2024 and June 2026, involving 11 international project partners and 26 strategic partners.

Throughout the project, the partnership produced sector analyses, training materials, collections of good practices, and policy recommendations, with particular emphasis on the role of renewable energy sources, waste heat recovery, thermal energy storage, and digital solutions in the future development of district heating systems.

The professional programme of the closing conference addressed several key challenges and opportunities facing the district heating sector. Participants attended presentations on European trends in renewable district heating and cooling, the utilisation of waste heat, and Hungary’s geothermal energy potential.

A dedicated session focused on the supply side of renewable district heating. Participants received updates on geothermal projects in Croatia, geothermal district heating developments in Oradea and Ștei (Romania), as well as several related European Union initiatives, including the GreetGeo, HeatInvest, TransGeo, and GeoBuilding projects.

Among the project’s Hungarian achievements, particular attention was given to the pilot activity implemented at one of the heat centres of the University of Pécs, carried out in cooperation with PÉTÁV Ltd. As a result of targeted technical interventions, the electricity consumption of the circulation pumps involved was reduced by more than 40%, leading to significant energy and cost savings.

One of the key messages of the closing conference was that achieving urban climate neutrality goals is impossible without improving the energy efficiency of the building stock and further developing sustainable heating systems.

For Pannon EGTC, the REHEATEAST project represented a strategically important international cooperation initiative, supporting the green transition, strengthening cross-border knowledge exchange, and facilitating the development of practical energy solutions.

The presentations delivered during the conference can be downloaded here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JT7N7-34-McEGV5zLRbEeDJ5V9GRcLyO?usp=sharing

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