Changes are coming to heating. The end of advance settlements
- In Poland, only 20 percent of heating systems are efficient.
- Heat transmission losses amount to 10-12%, the sector's profitability in 2023 was -9.5%, and the debt reaches 59%.
- This shows how much changes are needed in heating. Implementing intelligent solutions means real benefits - for the industry and heat recipients.
The condition of Polish heating is not the best. Of course, there are modern and innovative places that use the latest technologies, but these are still exceptions. Data presented by Fortum show that only 20 percent of heating systems are efficient. To be precise, we have 22 thousand km of networks in the country, about 6 thousand systems, and only 700 of them introduce modern solutions and draw energy from various sources, including renewable ones.
The costs of heat production are very high. These systems require transformation, modernization, changing sources, and they also require modernization of transmission networks , which are currently 30-40 years old. So modernization of heating is a very big challenge.
- said Józef Augustynów, Director of Digitalization and Digital Products at Fortum, during a meeting with journalists on Monday.
Experts point out that the sector's profitability in 2023 was -9.5%, and debt reaches 59%. This clearly shows that modernization of this industry is necessary . Especially since by 2050 we must achieve climate neutrality as a country. However, at the moment, audits show that the average temperature of buildings is currently 23 degrees, and heat transfer losses are at the level of 10-12%.
The implementation of intelligent solutions means potential 20% savings for the recipientLet's first explain what the digitalization of the heating sector is. In general, it involves the introduction of modern IT technologies to manage the production, transmission and consumption of heat. It includes, among others, the installation of sensors and meters, real-time data collection, the creation of digital twins of networks and buildings, the implementation of predictive algorithms (e.g. based on artificial intelligence), as well as the optimization of heat supply based on weather conditions and consumption. Specifically, this:
Modern customer service:
- Smart metering and remote meter reading.
- Personalized services and tariffs.
- Platforms and applications for customers (access to consumption data, reporting).
Smart District Heating:
- Sensors and remote monitoring (temperatures, pressures, flows) in real time.
- Automatic control of the operation of heating networks and substations.
- Quick detection and localization of losses and failures.
Data as the foundation of operations (Data-Driven Operations):
- Collection and analysis of large data sets (Big Data).
- Using analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) for forecasting, optimization and decision-making.
- Creating Digital Twins of networks for simulation and testing.
Efficiency and optimization:
- Optimization of heat production - adjustment to current demand.
- Reduction of transmission losses and operating costs.
- Predictive maintenance – preventing failures instead of reacting to them.
It sounds like a song of the future, but some companies are already using such solutions. Bartosz Kajut, CEO of the Vector Group, says it directly - it is about not wasting energy, having control over its consumption, and diversifying its sources .
The implementation of such intelligent solutions means potential savings of 20 percent for the recipient . And this is without deep thermal modernization.
- he explained.
Fortum operates over 11,000 nodes, of which 5,000 are company-owned.
We calculated that maintaining these nodes without a central system would cost us as much as PLN 700,000.
- Augustynów said. Let's add that Fortum is "only" 4% of Polish heating, so it's easy to imagine how much we overpay for heat, because the sector is not managed effectively. Digital supervision would give managers the ability to react quickly, and residents more stable and fair bills.
Dynamic prices for heating are becoming more and more realisticThe use of algorithms allows for high-precision monitoring of not only the operation of the heating substations themselves. The software continuously monitors the outside temperature and can adjust the heat transfer to it . And not in 24-hour intervals, but in hourly intervals. There is no room here for data falsification by a deregulated meter, because the algorithm itself detects irregularities and corrects them.
Until now, we had people in our billing department who operationally analyzed data from meters, looked for inaccuracies, and now we simply automate it with predictive algorithms. Thanks to this, we avoid many complaints and problems resulting from the fact that a meter may start to falsify data . And this is another place where savings can be achieved. Of course, it improves our work internally, but these are also operating costs, costs of functioning of the company, which later translate into costs for the end customer , so optimization in this area also helps
- convinces Józef Augustynów.
We asked Bartosz Kajut whether, if heat is already analyzed hourly, it could not be settled in the same way as photovoltaics. He did not deny it. Although, as he explained, the nearest future is monthly settlements, not advance payments, as so far.
While digitalization won’t solve all the sector’s problems, it could be key to easing the costs of transformation. And if we want to talk about honest accounting, lower losses, and a greener future, this is where it’s worth starting.
