Görlitz, 31.03.2026
A historic moment for the twin city of Görlitz/Zgorzelec: After six years of intensive planning, the starting gun was fired today for the construction phase of the cross-border district heating project UNITED HEAT. With UNITED HEAT, the twin city of Görlitz/Zgorzelec and its partners are realizing a forward-looking project that will ensure the sustainable heat supply for the citizens of both cities in the long term. With a ceremonial groundbreaking on the grounds of the Görlitz sewage treatment plant, Stadtwerke Görlitz (SWG AG), a joint venture between Veolia and the City of Görlitz, and the Polish heat supplier SEC Zgorzelec, a subsidiary of E.ON, are sending a powerful signal for the European energy transition.
The significance of the project was reflected in the high-profile guest list: Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister of Economics and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka, Saxony’s Minister-President Michael Kretschmer, and Paweł Gancarz, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, joined the mayors Octavian Ursu (Görlitz) and Rafał Gronicz (Zgorzelec) in honoring this milestone in German-Polish cooperation.
“After many years of meticulous preparation, during which we examined the feasibility of this unique project and successfully secured financial support through funding, the decisive phase is now beginning,” emphasized Matthias Block, Chairman of the Board of Stadtwerke Görlitz AG. “UNITED HEAT is more than an infrastructure project – it is a symbol of successful European cooperation and the determined path toward decarbonization, efficiency, and future viability.”
A Project with Model Character for All of Europe
With UNITED HEAT, the twin city of Görlitz/Zgorzelec and its partners are realizing a forward-looking project that will ensure the sustainable heat supply for the citizens of both cities in the long term. The project rests on two essential pillars that underscore its unique significance across Europe:
By 2030, both cities will completely convert their heat generation to renewable energy sources. Innovative technologies will be used, such as solar thermal energy with seasonal storage, heat recovery from lake and wastewater, biomass boilers, as well as waste heat and power-to-heat plants. This transformation enables annual CO₂ savings of nearly 50,000 tons – roughly equivalent to the emissions of 28,000 cars per year.
By connecting the district heating networks – both within Görlitz and cross-border with Zgorzelec – synergies are created that make it possible to connect additional households along the routes to the renewable energy-based district heating network. The interconnection of the systems and the expansion of generation technologies significantly increase the security of supply for people on both sides of the Neisse River. The project is thus an impressive example of how cross-border cooperation contributes to strengthening energy resilience.
Political Recognition at the Highest Level
Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche praised the project as a model for the European energy transition: “United Heat is a striking example of how local authorities can successfully collaborate on heat supply across national borders. To ensure a secure, affordable and sustainable heat supply in the heart of Europe, we are supporting investments on the German side with 81.6 million euros. By linking the German and Polish district heating networks, the heating sector will be decarbonised cost-effectively and our energy security strengthened – creating a modern infrastructure that benefits businesses and consumers in Görlitz and Zgorzelec.”
Saxony’s Minister-President Michael Kretschmer added: “Görlitz and Zgorzelec prove that the energy transition knows no borders. This district heating project is a beacon for all of Europe and shows what is possible when cities, states, and companies work together toward a sustainable future. It is at the same time a symbolically significant milestone for German-Polish cooperation and a strong signal of how climate protection, structural development, and European partnership can be successfully combined.”
Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka emphasized the importance of German-Polish cooperation: “The integration of Poland’s and Germany’s district heating systems is a very important step for energy security, but also a symbolic gesture of partnership and our shared responsibility. Thanks to this project, Poland and Germany will be able to jointly ensure stable heat supplies, optimize energy use, and develop low-emission technologies. Cross-border cooperation in the heating sector enables the exchange of knowledge, the implementation of innovations, and the creation of systems that are resilient to fluctuations in the energy market. It is also a model for other countries in our region in terms of building collective resilience. I would like to thank our partners from Germany for their commitment and trust.”
From Vision to Concrete Implementation
With the groundbreaking ceremony on the grounds of the Görlitz sewage treatment plant, the first construction phase of the cross-border heating network in Görlitz begins – the vision is thus becoming visible to all citizens for the first time. In spring 2026, construction begins on the first of a total of twelve planned kilometers of the connecting pipeline. The groundbreaking marks the start of the construction project on Schlesische Straße, connecting the Görlitz/Königshufen combined heat and power plant with the sewage treatment plant.
Also planned for this year is the connection of the Siemens site to the Königshufen district heating network – an important milestone on the path to interconnecting the four Görlitz district heating areas. This measure requires extensive construction work on Cottbuser Straße and Brautwiesenplatz.
“The construction measures in Königshufen as well as on Cottbuser Straße and Brautwiesenplatz are the first visible proof that UNITED HEAT is no longer a distant future vision, but a concrete present reality,” explains Matthias Block. “We ask the citizens for their understanding regarding the temporary restrictions. This work is necessary to lay the foundation for a resilient and decarbonized heat supply from which everyone will benefit.”
The first construction measures on the Polish side were already implemented last year, as Jarosław Grzęda, Deputy Managing Director of SEC Zgorzelec Sp. z o.o., adds: “We are already building a biomass heating plant at our site in Zgorzelec; in addition, we will commission a solar heating plant with heat storage and connect the district heating systems of both cities. We will create a system that offers residents security in terms of both the stability and independence of the heat supply. This solution is based on renewable energy sources. As a result, the residents of Zgorzelec can be assured that the heat in their homes is guaranteed regardless of fuel availability and the geopolitical situation.”
Around 30 highly specialized professionals from various countries are working together on the realization of this forward-looking project. This international collaboration reflects the European spirit of the project and demonstrates how cross-border cooperation works in practice.
Görlitz Mayor Octavian Ursu said: “This groundbreaking is a historic moment for us. Apart from the technological uniqueness of the project, the cooperation across national borders is right now an important signal for the reliability of energy supply in our twin city. The fact that we can implement cross-border, climate-neutral district heating in the heart of Europe is based on mutual trust and consistently close cooperation, which gives our twin city independence and security with regard to energy supply.”
His counterpart Rafał Gronicz added: “With the groundbreaking decision in 2020 to jointly embark on the path toward cross-border district heating, a new stage of cooperation in our twin city was initiated. With the UNITED HEAT project, Zgorzelec and Görlitz have become pioneers of a solution that will in the future serve our citizens on both sides of the Neisse.”
With today’s groundbreaking, UNITED HEAT sets a strong signal for climate-neutral, resilient, and cross-border energy supply in Europe – from planning to implementation, from vision to reality.
Ground-breaking ceremony for UNITED HEAT: Matthias Block (Chairman of the Board, Stadtwerke Görlitz AG), Rafał Gronicz (Mayor of Zgorzelec), Octavian Ursu (Mayor of Görlitz), Michael Kretschmer (Prime Minister of Saxony), Katherina Reiche (Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy), Konrad Wojnarowski (Under-Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Energy), Paweł Gancarz (Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship), Adam Kampa (CEO Szczecińska Energetyka Cieplna Sp. z o.o.), Marten Bunnemann (CEO E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions) (from left to right) jointly give the go-ahead for the cross-border district heating project. Foto: Nikolai Schmidt
Rafał Gronicz (Mayor of Zgorzelec), Paweł Gancarz (Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship), Konrad Wojnarowski (Under-Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Energy), Marten Bunnemann (CEO E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions), Katherina Reiche (Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy), Octavian Ursu (Mayor of Görlitz), Michael Kretschmer (Prime Minister of Saxony), Martin Ridder (CEO Energy & Water Division Veolia)(from left to right), on the site of the Görlitz sewage treatment plant. With the start of the first construction phase, the project is no longer a vision of the future, but a concrete reality. Foto: Nikolai Schmidt
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