Germany – City and Regional Utilities LübbenHydrogen
Mobility and Heating Measures in Lübben
The City and Regional Utilities Lübben designed integrated measures for mobility and heating, resolved conflicts between economic feasibility and climate ambition, and developed a blended financing model.
The following steps were taken to fulfill the task:
-
Design of integrated measures: Lübben Utilities planned hydrogen buses for regional transport while simultaneously testing hydrogen use in district heating. This dual approach addressed transport decarbonisation and heating resilience in one integrated measure.
-
Conflict check: Stakeholder discussions revealed cost tensions — hydrogen heating was initially more expensive than natural gas. By prioritising mobility first (visible impact, available subsidies) and planning gradual heating integration, the utility balanced economic and climate concerns.
-
Financial planning: Financing combined municipal budgets, German federal mobility subsidies, and early-stage private sector co-financing. This mix secured the viability of measures, with heating pilots postponed until electrolyser capacity increased.