Smart district heating networks in the era of energy transformation

District heating, which accounts for half of the EU's energy consumption, still relies heavily on fossil fuels. This causes emissions of dust and greenhouse gases and into the atmosphere and leads to negative climate changes. For this reason, European Union countries have been implementing a climate and energy policy for many years, which in the area of heating is aimed at making it more efficient and sustainable. This requires the introduction of low-carbon technologies and the reduction of fossil fuel consumption by increasing the share of renewable energy sources. Modern, efficient and smart heating systems should guarantee reliable heat supply while reducing the environmental impact. The article discusses the direction of change and development of district heating systems through the introduction of innovative technologies. The new generations of 4GDH and 5 GDH district heating systems are described and the benefits of their use are indicated. The concept of smart district heating networks, their structure and the advantages of their implementation are discussed. The possibilities of creating smart energy systems using renewable energy sources and heat storage technologies were also indicated. The activities of Polish district heating companies in the introduction of smart heat networks are presented, based on research conducted.