Same Same but Different: Similarities and Differences in Regional Conditions for the Energy and Heating Transition
Decarbonising energy systems and transforming the heating sector require integrated, spatially sensitive planning. Regional conditions such as building stock, urban density, district heating, renewable potential etc. strongly shape technically and economically appropriate decarbonisation pathways. This study develops a reproducible cluster typology for 400 German Kreise using an indicator set covering energy demand, building stock, infrastructure and socioeconomic and structural factors. Following standard procedures (indicator selection, normalization, PCA dimensionality reduction, and clustering) the analysis produces five region types that capture spatial patterns relevant to energy and heat transformation. Contributions: (1) a multivariate, spatially explicit typology for benchmarking and comparative learning; (2) an evidence base combining technical and socioeconomic indicators to prioritize interventions (e.g., district heating conversion, retrofit subsidies, heat‑pump support); (3) a framework to target modelling and stakeholder engagement by grouping districts with comparable starting conditions.
Stöver, B., Fehnker, D., Hembach-Stunden, K. & Ulrich, P. (2026): Same Same but Different: Similarities and Differences in Regional Conditions for the Energy and Heating Transition. GWS-Kurzmitteilung 2/2026, Osnabrück.