Veolia Unveils Ambitious Strategy to Transform District Heating in Europe at Poznań Plant Inauguration
At the inauguration of its state of the art multi-energy cogeneration plant in Poznań, Poland, Veolia, in the presence of Mayor Jacek Jaśkowiak and CEO Estelle Brachlianoff, announced a transformative strategy to decarbonize district heating across Europe. The Poznań facility, a cornerstone of this vision, supplies 60% of the heat for 560,000 residents, achieving an exceptional efficiency of 92% and reducing CO₂ emissions by 25% (260,000 tons annually).
A Coal Free Future by 2030
This project is part of Veolia’s broader strategy to become the European leader in district heating by 2030 and eliminate coal from all its energy sites on the continent. In Poznań, this investment will phase out 300,000 tons of coal yearly, achieving zero coal consumption by 2030.
Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia CEO, emphasized:
“Faced with growing energy challenges and urbanization, we are strengthening our ambition to lead Europe’s district heating transition. By leveraging Veolia’s expertise in district heating, we are taking a decisive step in the energy transition.”
Innovation with Ecothermal Grid
To accelerate this vision, Veolia launched Ecothermal Grid, a comprehensive carbon-neutral heating solution combining:
Renewable energy sources, waste heat recovery, heat pumps, electric boilers and AI-powered digital tools
This offering aims to generate €350M in additional revenue by 2030 while addressing critical community needs: decarbonization, energy efficiency, security, and financial accessibility.
Market Expansion and Impact
Europe’s district heating market, valued at €60B in 2023, is projected to reach €80B by 2030. Veolia’s 500+ heat networks (serving 7 million customers) already boast 88% efficiency (vs. Europe’s 75% average), avoiding 2 million tons of CO₂ (2021–2024).
Notable Projects:
– UK: £1B portfolio under Ecothermal Grid, including £210M in 2025 projects like London’s Southwark 2.0 network (cutting 8,000 tons of CO₂/year for 2,500+ homes).
– Poland: Poznań’s plant will expand with Phase 2 innovations, integrating industrial waste heat, geothermal energy (covering 20% of city demand), and decentralized renewable systems.
A Blueprint for Europe
The Poznań project exemplifies Veolia’s scalable model:
Modern gas cogeneration for simultaneous heat/electricity production, Digitalization (AI, sensors, real-time optimization) to minimize losses and integrate renewables, Geothermal and waste-heat recovery for long term sustainability.
By 2030, Poznań’s network will run on a diversified, coal-free mix, setting a precedent for 500+ Veolia-operated networks across Europe.
Source: Veolia
