On March 17, the Lithuanian District Heating Association (LŠTA) hosted the BalticEnerShift (BES) project seminar in Kaunas, bringing together over 60 participants from Lithuania, Sweden, Poland, Germany, and Denmark (Fig. 1). The event focused on the digitalization, optimization, and long term reliability of district heating (DH) systems.
Kauno energija and Alytus DH company presented their ongoing digitalization projects, ranging from remote data reading systems to advanced digital tools that will help optimize heat production, transmission, and consumption (Fig.2). Experts from Danfoss shared their experience and results from digitalization projects implemented in Lithuanian DH companies.
Representatives from Poland presented the progress and results of a project aimed at modernizing a small DH system supplying the “Lubanianka” housing cooperative in Pomerania (Fig.3).
Experts from Swedish companies Öresundskraft, Carboseal, Wioniq, and PipeGuard introduced advanced pipeline monitoring technologies that enable early fault detection and extend the operational lifetime of DH infrastructure. Alfa Laval highlighted the untapped potential of using waste heat from data centers—both across Europe and in Lithuania.
Representatives of Noda and Energy Opticon shared the results of a digitalization project in Gothenburg, where integrated building-level and DH system control reduced energy consumption by up to 10% and helped the DH utility avoid additional peak capacity requirements.
Participants also visited the Petrašiūnai heat plant to explore high efficiency biomass equipment, the ORC power plant, and cascade condensing economizers with absorption heat pumps, and net water quality technologies essential for pipeline longevity (Fig.4 and 5).
The seminar provided valuable networking opportunities and insights into cutting edge district heating innovations. BES project partners continued discussions on next steps during the March 18 meeting as the project progresses toward 2028.
