The Department of Energy at the Euroheat & Power Congress

The Department of Energy at Politecnico di Milano participated in the Euroheat & Power Congress 2026, held in Kraków from 3 to 5 June, contributing to the European discussion on the skills needed to support the transition of the district heating and cooling sector.

Representing Politecnico di Milano was Alice Dénarié, coordinator of Skills4DHC, the European project involving the Department of Energy and the Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC). The project develops training programmes and tools to foster the skills required to support the sector’s transformation. During the event, Alice was also interviewed for the congress’s official video, highlighting the growing attention given to skills development as a key enabler of the energy transition.

A European Discussion on the Heat Transition

With more than 530 participants from over 300 organisations, the Euroheat & Power Congress is the leading European event dedicated to district heating and cooling. The 2026 edition brought together representatives from European institutions, utilities, industry, research organisations, and academia to discuss the challenges of heat decarbonisation.

Alongside technological innovation and the integration of renewable energy sources, one of the key themes that emerged was the need to invest in skills. The energy transition requires professionals capable of designing, operating, and developing increasingly complex, digitalised, and sustainable energy systems.

Skills4DHC: Investing in People to Accelerate the Transition

In this context, Skills4DHC aims to contribute to the development of the human capital needed to support the sector’s transformation by bringing together universities, research centres, companies, utilities, and public authorities.
 
«The transition of the district heating and cooling sector depends not only on technological innovation, but also on our ability to develop the skills that will make it possible. Through Skills4DHC, we aim to foster a lasting dialogue between universities, industry, and public institutions, ensuring that education and training effectively respond to the needs of a rapidly evolving sector.» 
 
Alice Dénarié, Associate Professor at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Milano
 
Through the design of new training pathways, professional upskilling activities, and initiatives aimed at attracting new talent, the project seeks to bridge the gap between the skills currently available and those required by the energy transition. In doing so, it contributes to strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the district heating and cooling sector at European level.
Skills4DHC – Skills, Qualification and Recruitment of Professionals for the District Heating and Cooling (DHC) Sector is a European project funded by the LIFE Programme, involving the Departments of Energy and Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC) of Politecnico di Milano.

The initiative brings together partners from several European countries with the aim of:

  • analysing the sector’s skills needs;
  • developing new training pathways for students and professionals;
  • supporting the upskilling of the existing workforce;
  • promoting generational renewal and the attractiveness of careers in the district heating and cooling sector;
  • contributing to the dissemination of key skills for the decarbonisation of heating and cooling.

More information about the project: progetti/skiils4dhc

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