From 6 to 8 October 2026, partners of the Interreg North-West Europe RODEO project gathered in Dublin, Ireland, for three days to exchange knowledge, learn from each other and to further collaborate on the future of district heating. Hosted by Codema and South Dublin County Council, the meeting focused on a central challenge facing many district heating projects: how to navigate the technical, financial, political and social uncertainties that arise when developing and expanding heat networks.
A key highlight of the meeting was the visit to the Tallaght District Heating Scheme (Heatworks), Ireland's first publicly owned, not-for-profit district heating utility. Participants visited the energy centre and learned how waste heat from a nearby data centre is upgraded through large-scale heat pumps and supplied to public buildings, educational facilities and residential developments in Tallaght.
The visit was followed by a public event on district heating in Ireland, where experts from Codema and South Dublin County Council shared lessons from the development of Heatworks and the wider Irish district heating landscape. Presentations highlighted Dublin's significant district heating potential, the role of waste heat recovery, thermal storage and heat planning.
In addition, there were four thematic sessions organised during the Dublin partner meeting based on the uncertainties the RODEO-project tries to tackle and deliverables the project aims to achieve.
Session 1: Understanding stakeholder and behavioural uncertainties
The first thematic session explored the human dimension of district heating projects.
Michael King from the District Energy Development Limited discussed how successful district heating development depends on understanding the interests, motivations and concerns of a wide range of stakeholders. Attention was given to identifying barriers to participation and building trust throughout project development.
Niall Dunphy of the University of Cork emphasised the importance of behavioural change, community engagement and public acceptance in the heat transition Participants discussed the importance of involving stakeholders early in the project. Early engagement helps reduce risks and builds support for district heating solutions.
The interactive workshop enabled the pilot cities of Dublin, Assen, Dunkerque and Ostend to compare experiences and identify practical approaches for engaging citizens, housing organisations, businesses and public authorities.
Session 2: Managing technical and financial uncertainties
The second session focused on making district heating projects investable and resilient.
Oddgeir Gudmundsson from Danfoss introduced the concept of stage-gate project development and highlighted the importance of structured decision-making through clear milestones and go/no-go moments.
Rob Costello from PwC Ireland presented a framework for building robust district heating business cases. Three critical pillars for project success were highlighted: construction risk, heat supply security and customer demand.
The subsequent workshop, facilitated by Annicka Wänn, enabled partners to identify project-specific risks and develop strategies to reduce, manage, transfer or avoid them. Across all pilot cities, common themes emerged around affordability, financing, customer uptake and securing future heat sources.
Session 3: Policy frameworks and enabling conditions
The third session examined how policy and governance frameworks can accelerate district heating development.
Brendan O'Nolan from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) outlined Ireland's growing support framework for district heating, including heat planning initiatives and dedicated funding mechanisms.
Kieran O'Donohue from Codema presented the broader Irish context for district heating and showed how heat planning can help identify locations where district heating offers the most cost-effective route to decarbonisation. His presentation highlighted the significant opportunity presented by waste heat streams and thermal storage solutions.
Filips Jager from Hanze University of Applied Sciences addressed the challenge of balancing societal benefits, affordability and public acceptance in the heat transition. His reflections sparked a discussion on how policymakers can combine climate objectives with fair and acceptable heating solutions for citizens.
Session 4: Developing the RODEO training programme
The final session focused on one of RODEO's key future outputs: the development of an interactive training programme for district heating stakeholders. The objective is to support local authorities, grid operators, heat suppliers, consumers and experts with practical knowledge on stakeholder engagement and financial architecture for district heating systems.
Connie Ocando from Euroheat & Power presented the Skills4DHC initiative, showcasing how structured training pathways can strengthen skills across the entire district heating value chain, from planning and design to construction and operation.
Kate Ruddock from the Irish District Energy Association (IrDEA) shared examples of emerging district heating training opportunities in Ireland and highlighted growing demand for practical skills and professional development in the sector.
Aulia Tirtamarina from Hanze University of Applied Sciences introduced the Future Heat Heroes programme, an ambitious initiative that combines education, applied research, digital learning environments and knowledge exchange to prepare the next generation of heat transition professionals.
Moving forward together
With valuable lessons from the Tallaght District Heating Scheme and intensive exchanges between project partners, RODEO continues to build practical knowledge that will support cities and regions across North-West Europe in developing sustainable and affordable district heating solutions.
A sincere thank you to Dublin for the warm welcome and excellent organization of the partner meeting!