Odorheiu Secuiesc: Biomass and Solar Driving the Heat Transition

A Transylvanian town is proving that district heating can be both green and local. With support from the European City Facility (EUCF), Odorheiu Secuiesc (Romania) is shaping an ambitious plan for a hybrid network where biomass and solar work hand in hand.

The journey started years ago. The municipal operator URBANA SA began replacing fossil fuels with wood-chip boilers: a 1.5 MW unit at Beclean II in 2010, two more at Kuvar in 2015, and the main CT6 plant converted to sawdust and wood chips with gas only as backup. Thanks to these steps, much of the city’s heating demand is already covered by local biomass.

Now comes the next chapter. A feasibility study for the Taberei district maps out a hybrid system: two new 2 MW biomass boilers, a large solar collector field, and over 500 cubic metres of thermal storage. Together, they will heat around 1,500 flats. Solar panels cover sunny days. Biomass keeps the heat flowing in winter. Storage balances supply and demand. It’s a resilient, modern solution that works year-round.

This isn’t just about technology. It’s about using local wood residues that create jobs, keep money in the community, and make the forest healthier through active management. It’s about energy independence in a region that no longer wants to depend on volatile fossil markets.

Odorheiu Secuiesc shows what the energy transition looks like on the ground: a community moving out of fossil fuels and stepping into the future with biomass and solar. A small city, a big lesson for Europe.