Stadtwerke Böblingen partners with Gradyent to reduce heat losses and transform its district heating system

Stadtwerke Böblingen has partnered with Gradyent to accelerate the modernization of its district heating system. Together, the company will implement a digital twin to reduce heat losses, increase system efficiency, and validate the hydraulic feasibility of the BEW Module 1 transformation plan. The first initiative delivers immediate operational optimization, while the second supports long-term planning. Combined, they pave the way for a smarter, more sustainable district heating supply in the city of Böblingen.

Stadtwerke Böblingen operates a district heating network of around 60 km within the city and a local heating network in the Dagersheim district. In 2024, it supplied a total of 136 GWh to around 1,950 customers. With 70% of this heat already sourced from waste incineration, the company demonstrates its commitment to a sustainable energy future.

Stadtwerke Böblingen is currently pursuing two transformation plans to modernize and optimize its infrastructure, with the goal of meeting energy demand even more efficiently and sustainably in the future.

Source: Wärme - Stadtwerke Böblingen

Reducing heat losses and switching to renewable energy

To tackle the dual challenge of reducing heat losses and preparing for the integration of renewable energy sources, Stadtwerke Böblingen is focusing on digitalization and greater transparency across its district heating operations.

These efforts are essential to modernizing the system in line with long-term decarbonization goals. By simulating various transformation scenarios, the utility provider aims to lower network temperatures and improve overall efficiency - critical steps to future-proofing its infrastructure.

“We chose Gradyent as our strategic partner. On the one hand, the company has in-depth expertise in hydraulics and district heating transformation, and on the other hand, we will benefit in the short term from the digital twin, which provides us with the target values we need for temperature control in real time in the interests of supply security and operational efficiency. During the upcoming transformation, the Digital Twin will evaluate planned configurations and expansion stages hour by hour, taking into account various scenarios based on multiple years of data. This will help us reduce our investment risks.”

Emil Nagy, Authorized Officer and Head of Production & Facilities at Stadtwerke Böblingen

From operational optimization to network design simulation

Gradyent’s technology not only meets these demanding requirements but also provides long-term continuity and adaptability, making the company the ideal partner for Stadtwerke Böblingen’s ambitious modernization efforts.

Stadtwerke Böblingen has signed two key agreements with Gradyent to accelerate its district heating transformation. The first focuses on real-time optimization through Gradyent’s Digital Twin Platform, enabling dynamic temperature control and providing insights into consumption behavior to minimize heat losses and improve system efficiency.

The second agreement involves a transformation plan under “BEW Modul 1”, designed to validate the hydraulic feasibility of the planned network transformation. This study evaluates current and future network configurations to provide essential information for long-term planning and regulatory compliance.

Together, these initiatives will create the foundation for a smarter and more resilient district heating infrastructure.

Next steps

The model is expected to go live at the end of Q3 and will serve as a fundamental tool for both operational optimization and strategic planning. In parallel, Stadtwerke Böblingen is advancing its transformation plans. The Gradyent Digital Twin will play a key role in simulating and evaluating future scenarios. It will be used to validate the hydraulic feasibility of both current and future network configurations in line with BEW guidelines.

The main goals of the transformation are to gradually phase out fossil-based heat generation and to define achievable temperature levels for a more sustainable heating network. One scenario under consideration is merging the two existing networks into a single system. Once the Digital Twin is live, it will provide real-time data on network behavior, enabling Stadtwerke Böblingen to identify optimal temperature settings and reduce heat losses.

“With the integrated analysis of primary and secondary networks, we have an exciting optimization and transformation task ahead of us in Böblingen. This is exactly what we developed the tool for, and it will help our experts achieve excellent results."

Dr. Isabelle Best, Solutions Lead at Gradyent