Heat Roadmap Europe 4

Heat Roadmap Europe 4 (HRE4) provided the evidence base for shaping long-term EU and national policies to decarbonise heating and cooling (H&C) — the largest single sector of Europe’s energy system and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The project demonstrated how cost-effective, low-carbon H&C strategies could be integrated into broader energy transition plans, supporting EU climate and energy targets for 2050.

Covering the 14 largest EU countries, representing 90% of total heat demand, HRE4 combined high-resolution energy mapping, end-use efficiency assessments, and detailed energy system modelling to develop “Heat Roadmaps” for each country. These scenarios compared the implications of current policies with more ambitious decarbonisation strategies, identifying optimal combinations of measures such as building retrofits, district heating expansion, large thermal storage, and electrification through heat pumps.

Results were directly relevant to EU-level legislative debates and to national energy and climate planning processes, including National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). The project also worked closely with 10 cities and regions to translate national-level pathways into actionable local strategies, building capacity for investment planning and policy design.