Berlin Initiates Major Power-to-Heat Project to Transform Renewable Energy into District Heating
Berlin, May 6, 2026 – Berlin has taken a significant step towards a sustainable energy future with the launch of one of Europe’s largest Power-to-Heat (PtH) projects. A 120-megawatt plant is currently under construction at the Berlin-Mitte combined heat and power (CHP) plant, a collaborative effort involving BEW Berliner Energie und Wärme, transmission system operator 50Hertz, and Stromnetz Berlin. This ambitious project is designed to convert excess electricity from renewable sources into district heating, thereby reducing the curtailment of wind and solar power and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.
Strategic Importance for the Energy Transition
Power-to-Heat technology is a crucial component of sector coupling within the broader energy transition. By transforming surplus renewable electricity into heat, it helps to reduce grid congestion, optimizes the use of green energy, and enhances overall system flexibility. The new facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2028.
The plant will primarily be utilized in congestion management, particularly when the generation of renewable energy in northeastern Germany exceeds the grid’s capacity to absorb or consume it. Instead of curtailing wind or photovoltaic systems, the PtH plant will directly use this electricity. Dirk Biermann, COO of 50Hertz, emphasized the importance of flexible consumers in an increasingly renewable energy system: “For an electricity system with more and more wind and solar energy, we need flexible consumers that can absorb power at short notice when electricity is in abundance.” He added that the Berlin-Mitte plant is a key element in alleviating grid bottlenecks and integrating renewable electricity into the capital’s heat supply.
Berlin’s political leadership also views this project as a vital lever for the energy transition. State Secretary Severin Fischer stated, “By efficiently utilizing renewable electricity instead of curtailing it, we not only strengthen our security of supply and independence but also drive climate protection and the decarbonization of district heating.”
Significant Environmental and Social Impact
The project’s energy dimension is substantial. Over its first five years of operation, it is projected to save approximately 76,000 tons of CO2, primarily by reducing the use of fossil fuels at the Berlin-Mitte CHP plant. Looking ahead, the facility will be capable of supplying district heating to over 30,000 households during winter and providing hot water for around 360,000 households in summer.
BEW is responsible for the construction and operation of the plant. Kerstin Busch, BEW’s Technical Managing Director, noted, “With the Power-to-Heat plant at the Berlin-Mitte CHP plant, electricity from wind and solar systems will be directly available to around 30,000 district heating customers and will help to reduce CO2 emissions.” Stromnetz Berlin is adapting the grid connection to facilitate the feeding in of large amounts of electricity for the plant, a move Bernhard Büllmann, Managing Director of Stromnetz Berlin, sees as a significant contribution to the decarbonization of heat supply.
Technological Advancements and Financial Commitment
Technically, the project involves three electrode boilers, each with a thermal output of 40 megawatts, two grid transformers, and a new switchgear. Additionally, the existing district heating pump station will be modernized to enhance the hydraulic capacity of the network. There are also plans for a river water heat pump at the site in the future.
Financially, 50Hertz is largely funding the project, with an investment of up to 75 million euros. According to the project partners, the investment is expected to pay for itself within approximately five years. Under a redispatch agreement, 50Hertz will have access to the plant’s control for five years.
The decarbonization of heat supply is considered a central pillar for Berlin to achieve its climate targets by 2045. The Power-to-Heat plant at the Berlin-Mitte CHP plant represents one of Europe’s largest projects for the direct utilization of surplus renewable electricity for urban district heating.
