CEF Energy: United Heat project advances renewable heating across borders

A new milestone has been reached for the United Heat project, an innovative cross-border initiative connecting the twin cities of Görlitz (Germany) and Zgorzelec (Poland) to develop a more sustainable and climate-neutral heating system.

A joint solution for decarbonising heating

United Heat aims to transform the way heat is produced and distributed in the two adjacent border cities (which have until now largely relied on fossil fuels) by developing a fully renewable district heating system. 

The project will combine different clean energy sources, including solar thermal energy with seasonal storage, biomass, waste heat recovery and power-to-heat technologies, to provide reliable and low-carbon heating to local communities.

By pooling resources and renewable energy potential on both sides of the border, the project will help decarbonise heat supply, improve energy efficiency and strengthen energy security for both cities.

CEF Energy support

The project is supported by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Energy programme, through its cross-border renewable energy window, with a contribution of €37 million up to now to help deliver key studies and infrastructure needed for its implementation.

CEF support contributes to co-financing key technical and environmental studies, as well as the construction of essential infrastructure including renewable heat generation plants, thermal storage facilities and a cross-border pipeline connecting the district heating networks of Görlitz and Zgorzelec.

Once completed in 2029, the project will help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions (avoiding nearly 50,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year) while improving energy efficiency and strengthening the resilience of local energy systems.

Turning borders into opportunities

Border regions are often seen as barriers or bottlenecks for infrastructure development. The United Heat project shows how cooperation between neighbouring cities can instead unlock new opportunities.

At a project event held in Görlitz on 31 March to mark the groundbreaking for the 1^st kilometre of the pipeline connection of the RES district heating systems, project partners and stakeholders gathered to celebrate progress and highlight the importance of cross-border cooperation in delivering sustainable energy solutions.

During the event, Gianluca Ferreri from CINEA highlighted the spirit behind the initiative:

“Borders are often perceived as barriers, associated with fear and mistrust. But the cities of Görlitz and Zgorzelec chose to see things differently. They opened the door to their neighbour and discovered trust instead of mistrust, cooperation instead of competition. Today, they are showing how cross-border collaboration can help build a more sustainable future for their citizens and for Europe.”

The project is promoted by the utility companies Stadtwerke Görlitz AG and SEC Zgorzelec (Szczecińska Energetyka Cieplna), in collaboration with the municipalities of the two cities.

United Heat is a strong example of the objectives of the CEF cross-border renewable energy windoew, which supports projects that combine renewable energy development with cooperation between EU countries.

By leveraging complementary renewable energy potential across borders, initiatives like United Heat demonstrate how European cooperation can transform shared ambitions into concrete solutions for the clean energy transition.