Gren Expands District Heating Network: 3 km of New Heat Pipeline Built in Tartu Parish, Estonia

Gren has extended its district heating network by constructing over three kilometers of heat pipeline in Raadi, Tartu Parish, with support from the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre (KIK). This expansion opens up access to Gren’s convenient and environmentally friendly district heating network for current and future residents, as well as institutions in the area. The construction was carried out by Giga Ehitus OÜ, the winner of the public tender.

“For Gren, this is another significant milestone as we can now offer energy-efficient, flexible, and convenient district heating solutions to the local community in Raadi, Tartu Parish,” said Kadri Uibopuu, Gren’s Head of Sales and Customer Relations in Estonia. “Expanding Gren’s district heating network supports the region’s development and aligns with our company’s growth and sustainability goals. While we typically connect new buildings or renovate existing pipelines, this time we’ve had the opportunity to add a completely new area to Tartu’s district heating network,” Uibopuu added.

In the first phase of the project, 12 buildings in the Pärna Avenue and Kaupmehe Street area were connected to Gren’s district heating network. In the near future, Tartu Parish’s new kindergarten and a planned school will also be connected. The long-term prospects for the Raadi area are promising, with planned residential developments offering significant growth potential for the district heating network, enabling Gren to provide heating to even more homes, public institutions, and businesses.

“Connecting to the district heating network ensures a stable supply of thermal energy for the new kindergarten, the planned school, and both current and future residents of the area. Adding Raadi to the district heating network will undoubtedly accelerate the development of the region,” highlighted Jarno Laur, Mayor of Tartu Parish.

Margus Vares, Project Manager for Pipeline Construction at Giga Ehitus OÜ, also emphasized the importance of the project and collaboration: “We were delighted to collaborate with Gren on developing the heating network in Tartu Parish. At Giga, we are committed to expanding and modernizing district heating and cooling systems, creating sustainable solutions and offering better services in partnership with our clients.”

Construction of the heat pipeline began in June 2024 and was completed in October. The first in-building heat substation was commissioned in early November, and the entire project has now received its usage permit. The total cost of the project amounted to over €2.7 million, of which €760,497 was covered by funding from the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre.