BEYOND COAL: PEC BYTOM’S ROADMAP TO GREENER DISTRICT HEATING BY 2050
By Lars Gullev, CEO, Gullev DH Advisory and Slawomir Kaminski, CEO, PEC Bytom
How can PEC Bytom phase out coal, meet EU efficiency requirements, and keep district heating affordable? The company has already prepared a Climate Neutrality Plan, and a Development Plan is now on the table as well. This plan describes four scenarios, all of which will ensure PEC Bytom can deliver energy- efficient district heating in accordance with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. But the scenarios were not without challenges; therefore, a Roadmap based on a combination of the four scenarios is an important tool in PEC Bytom’s journey toward a greener future.
Background Transforming PEC Bytom’s district heating systems requires a differentiated approach, as the company operates two networks with distinct technical characteristics and ownership structures. Only the Radzionków system is supplied by PEC Bytom-owned generation units, making it the only part of the company’s infrastructure where PEC Bytom directly controls fuel use, investment decisions, and the long-term pathway toward decarbonisation. Consequently, both the Climate Neutrality Plan (CNP), which PEC Bytom already prepared, and the development plan presented in this article focus exclusively on the Radzionków system. The CNP describes the transformation pathway from the current coal‑based setup toward full climate neutrality by 2050. The starting point is a system supplied from the Radzionków
heat plant, operating boilers WR8, WR12, and WR29 (8, 12, and 29 MW).
The need for a development plan for PEC Bytom was immediate. Rising carbon constraints and evolving market dynamics are reshaping district heating economics. At the same time, customers expect stable tariffs and resilient supply. Responding effectively requires a clear pathway to replace high‑emission generation with low‑ and zero‑carbon alternatives, sequence investments to manage risks and costs over time, and use local strengths to deliver measurable value. Based on the development plan, a proposal for a Roadmap has been prepared. Since development in the energy sector has been very rapid over the past few years- technically, market-wise, and regulatory - it is crucial to emphasize that a
24 HOTCOOL no.5 2026
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