Cross-border cooperation in energy is a key pillar of the EU’s strategy to enhance energy security, sustainability, and market integration. As European countries transition to cleaner energy sources and seek greater energy independence, collaboration across national borders has become increasingly essential. However, significant obstacles remain in establishing cross-border energy initiatives such as Cross-Border Energy Communities (CBECs). As highlighted in the recent publication of EU / DG REGIO, Handbook on Cross-Border Energy Communities, legal barriers, regulatory differences, and infrastructure mismatches can hinder seamless cooperation and pose major challenges to CBEC development. These obstacles, in turn, can delay or limit the potential benefits for cross-border regions, including environmental protection, energy efficiency, and social and territorial cohesion. Given these challenges, it is crucial to promote good practices in cross-border energy cooperation.

WHAT

The Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg project is a unique cross-border cooperation project in the topic of clean energy transition in Europe. Its objective is to recover waste heat from the operation of the Badische Stahlwerke steel plant in the port of Kehl, Germany, and recycle it, transfer it across the Franco-German border and distribute it to around 7.000 households in Strasbourg, France by 2027 (in a first phase). To do so, a 4,5-kilometer-long pipeline under the Rhine will connect the steel plant in Kehl with the existing district heating network in Strasbourg. Moreover, the project foresees extensive renovation work in the steel plant (amounting to 11,5 mEUR). The total investment cost for the development of the cross-border heat pipeline is estimated at 47 mEUR.

WHO

The Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg project is implemented by the SEM (Société d’ Economie Mixte) Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg, a semi-public company. Partners in the project include the Eurométropole de Strasbourg (FR), the State of Baden-Württemberg (DE), the City of Kehl (DE), the Région Grand Est (FR), the “Banque des Territoires” public financing unit (FR), the ‘Badische Stahlwerke’ steel plant (DE), the Climate Protection and Energy Agency of Baden-Württemberg (DE) and the Upper Rhine Development and Equipment Company (SERS) (FR).

WHERE

The Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg project is being implemented in the Germany-France border located in the Upper Rhine region and in specific in the cities of Kehl, Germany (location of the Badische Stahlwerke steel plant) and Strasbourg, France (location of the households receiving heat from the cross-border heating network). In the long-term, the project is to be expanded to include other households, public institutions and companies in Strasbourg and in the city centre of Kehl.

HOW

The overall project budget amounts to EUR 3.536.499,36, with EUR 2.121.899,62 being funded by the ERDF through the 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A France-Germany-Switzerland (Upper Rhine) programme.

RESULTS

When completed, the Calorie Kehl-Strasbourg energy transition project will achieve multiple goals. At the outset, approximately 7.000 Strasbourg households are to receive heat in the first phase, thus avoiding 19.600 tonnes of climate-damaging CO2 every year but also combatting energy poverty through the provision of affordable heating. Simultaneously, the energy-intensive steel production at the Badische Stahlwerke steel plant will become greener and climate-friendlier through the implementation of extensive renovation work.

Planning and construction of the heat pipeline, which is expected to be at least 4,5 kilometers long, is very complex, as the pipelines will run through the port areas on both sides of the Rhine and transport water at temperatures of up to 150 degrees. Therefore, the project will also deliver a complex technical solution, for the development of which a cost of approximately 47 mEUR is estimated.

The implementation of the project will also have a positive impact on the local climate and energy neutrality plans and goals of the two cities involved: Strasbourg and Kehl. In specific: 

• The transfer and use of waste heat from the steel plant into the district heating network of Strasbourg will serve Strasbourg’s goal to increase the share of renewable energies in heating supply to 100% by 2050.
• The use of waste heat from the Baadische Stahlwerke steel plant (at a later phase of the project) in the city of Kehl is also a significant component of Kehl’s municipal heat plan required by the climate protection law of the State of Baden-Württemberg. It will also contribute to the city of Kehl’s goal to be climate neutral by 2040, in accordance with the State of Baden-Württemberg requirements.