Overview: Acqui Terme is located in the Italian region of Piedmont, in the north of the country. The local has historically been linked with its natural springs, which attract tourists and revenue for the city. The geothermal resources of the city are now being explored to provide its citizens with clean and efficient heating.

Current DH status: Acqui Terme’s DHC system started to operate in 2009 and it was expanded in 2012, reaching the current 8.9km of extension. It is managed by Acqui Energia S.p.A. Today, the network has two CHP units and three boilers, used as backup. In 2023, it generated 34.8 GWh of thermal energy, using natural gas as the main energy source. Because of its reliance on fossil fuel, the network generated 11.500 tonnes of CO₂.

What work will ENABLE DHC do?: The project will investigate the integration of renewable heat sources into the grid. Given the privileged location of the city, the efforts will be concentrated on geothermal heat pumps that will extract heat from the city’s underground. The objective is to reduce the dependence on CHP plants and boilers, while increasing the share of renewables.

Partners involved: Ambiente Italia and OPTIT