SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern is hosting the Energy Forum at the Kammgarn Kaiserslautern on 19 March 2026. This year’s event will focus on the key issues in municipal heating planning and examine the role this plays in the energy transition. A team of experts from the fields of public administration, planning and the energy sector will outline how these diverse challenges can be tackled collectively. The 15th Kaiserslautern Energy Forum offers invited guests the perfect opportunity to exchange views with the experts and discuss current strategies, concrete implementation approaches and objectives for the city of Kaiserslautern.
The heating transition is a key component of the energy transition – and it begins at a local level. Municipal heating planning is intended to serve as a key guide through the heating transition for local authorities, their residents and energy suppliers. It sets out the framework for the maintenance and expansion of the necessary infrastructure. The backdrop to this is the target of climate neutrality by 2045, enshrined in the Climate Protection Act.
The City of Kaiserslautern aims to achieve this target as early as 2040 – five years ahead of the Federal Republic of Germany’s national target. The heating sector plays a crucial role in this: around half of Germany’s total final energy consumption is accounted for by heating energy. Dr Arvid Blume, Managing Director of SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern, is looking forward to exciting contributions and discussions: “Municipal heating planning forms the backbone of a future climate-neutral heating supply. It ensures reliability and sets a clear direction. It provides us, as energy suppliers, with the necessary guidance to implement investments strategically, efficiently and in the interests of our citizens. At the same time, it ensures transparency. After all, only those who can understand where the journey is heading can make informed decisions about their own heating supply.” The event’s patron, Lord Mayor Beate Kimmel, adds: “Together, we want to shape the heating transition responsibly at a local level. Municipal heating planning is a key steering mechanism on the path to a climate-neutral city. To ensure it can have its full impact, we are working closely and in partnership with our municipal utilities. Only in this way can we combine strategic goals, technical implementation and economic viability. Ultimately, we need good solutions for the citizens of our city.”
Where does Kaiserslautern stand? | The City of Kaiserslautern’s first municipal heating plan covers the period 2026–2030 and will be finalised by the end of June 2026. It was not only presented to the public but also made available for public consultation by the City of Kaiserslautern from 30 January to 28 February 2026. Comments from the public and public interest bodies are currently being incorporated. The final version will be approved by the Environment Committee in March and by the City Council in May. In the summer of 2026, residents are to be provided with comprehensive information on all the results once again.
What is the role of the municipal utility company? | As a municipal energy supplier, SWK operates the necessary infrastructure. First and foremost, the district heating networks, but also other relevant networks such as those for gas or electricity supply, fall under the responsibility of the municipal utility company. The SWK team forms part of the core team and, going beyond its legal obligation to provide data, supports the city and its service providers in drawing up and revising the municipal heating plan.
What guests can expect at the Energy Forum | Deputy Mayor Manuel Steinbrenner and Hannah-Sophie Stabel, Head of the Department of Environmental Planning/Nature and Climate Protection, will report on the strategic decisions taken by the city administration and city politicians.
The planning consultancies B.A.U.M. Consult and Fichtner, commissioned by the city to carry out the heating plan, will explain what municipal heating planning can and cannot achieve. The planners will also provide insights into their work, which includes a detailed analysis of the current heating situation in Kaiserslautern. Furthermore, the analyses will indicate what changes are needed for the city to meet its climate protection targets on time. The Strategy and Networks team at SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern Versorgungs-AG explains the role the municipal energy supplier plays in municipal heating planning and the tasks that will fall to the municipal utility in future. The focus here is on: what the municipal utility has already implemented, how future-proof the infrastructure is, and which projects have long been in the planning stage. SWK will provide answers to questions regarding where potential for the expansion and densification of the heating network is identified, how the transformation of the heating supply is being shaped, and what the implications for the electricity grids are. As in previous years, the event will be moderated by Holger Wienpahl.