On the occasion of the inauguration of the multi-energy cogeneration plant located in Poznań, Poland, in the presence of Jacek Jaśkowiak, Mayor of Poznań, and Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia, the Group unveiled its ambitious strategy to transform district heating in Europe.
Veolia inaugurated today in Poznań, Poland, a major project that marks a turning point in the decarbonization of European district heating. This multi-energy cogeneration plant, which supplies 60% of the heat to 560,000 residents, achieves an exceptional efficiency of 92% and reduces CO2 emissions by 25%, or up to 260,000 tons each year.
This project is part of a broader strategy: Veolia aims to become the European leader in district heating by 2030 and to completely eliminate coal from all of its energy sites on the continent. In Poznań, this investment will enable the complete elimination of coal from the district heating network by 2030, eliminating more than 300,000 tons of coal per year to ultimately achieve zero consumption of this fuel.
Faced with growing energy challenges and increasing urbanization, we are strengthening our ambition to be the leader in European district heating by 2030. By leveraging Veolia's expertise in district heating, we are taking a decisive step in the energy transition.
To support this ambition, Veolia is launching "Ecothermal Grid," an innovative offering based on a comprehensive approach to carbon-neutral district heating. This new offering targets additional revenue of €350M by 2030 and addresses critical challenges for communities: decarbonization, energy efficiency, security, and financial accessibility. The "Ecothermal Grid" offering, launched on the occasion of this inauguration, combines renewable energies, waste heat recovery, heat pumps, electric boilers, and AI-powered digital tools to maximize efficiency, reduce emissions, and provide sustainable and cost-effective energy.
The district heating market is experiencing rapid expansion in Europe: valued at 60 billion euros in 2023, it is expected to reach 80 billion euros by 2030. With nearly 500 heat networks in Europe serving 7 million customers and an average efficiency of 88% (compared to 75% on average in Europe), Veolia has already contributed to avoiding nearly 2 Mt of CO₂ between 2021 and 2024.
In the United Kingdom, Veolia has already announced a project portfolio worth £1 billion over 25 years as part of the Ecothermal Grid deployment. This portfolio includes £210 million in projects already awarded in 2025, including the completion of the first phase of the "Southwark 2.0" district heating network in south London, which currently supplies more than 2,500 homes and saves approximately 8,000 tons of CO₂ each year.
The Poznań project: a model of ecological transformation
In Poland, the cogeneration plant inaugurated in Poznań perfectly illustrates Veolia's strategy. Modern gas cogeneration enables the simultaneous production of heat and electricity, increasing efficiency and significantly reducing emissions. Over the coming years, Veolia will implement a Phase 2 with innovative solutions that will further reduce CO₂ emissions and increase the share of recovered and renewable energies.
Veolia will thus develop solutions using waste heat from industrial production, wastewater, and data centers. The next step will then see the construction of geothermal heating plants, which will provide a stable and renewable energy source and could cover approximately 20% of the city's heating needs. By 2030, Poznań's district heating network will be based on a diversified and decentralized energy mix, with coal having been completely eliminated.
A transformation on a European scale
The energy transition of more than 500 district heating networks managed by Veolia in Europe represents a challenge of considerable magnitude, requiring local and flexible solutions that make the best use of available resources. The Poznań project, with its major investment and long-term vision, constitutes a key step in this transformation and paves the way for other cities in the country and in Europe. Veolia is also investing in smart district heating network projects, including the digitization of infrastructure, sensors and remote control systems, and AI-based optimization, which will enable forecasting of heat and electricity demand, minimizing losses, and integrating distributed energy sources in real time.
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