To celebrate Lithuania’s Bioenergy Day, we look into how biomass district heating cuts emissions and costs in Šiauliai. Šiauliai, one of Lithuania’s largest cities, has significantly reduced its reliance on natural gas by investing in biomass-based district heating. 

A new biomass plant was completed in November 2024 by Šiaulių Energija, the local district heating operator. The facility includes a 15 MW solid biomass boiler, a 3.25 MW condensing economiser and a 1.4 MW absorption heat pump.

Biomass district heating cuts emissions and costs with local resources in Šiauliai

The new boiler is designed to use a wide range of solid biomass fuels, including forest residues with a relatively high moisture content, as well as leaves, needles and sawdust. This flexibility allows the system to make use of locally available biomass resources that might otherwise have limited applications.

Following the investment, biomass is expected to account for more than 90% of Šiauliai’s heat production. According to the municipality, the new installation alone is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by around 7,338 tonnes per year.

Lower emissions and energy costs for citizens of Šiauliai

The transition to biomass has also brought economic benefits for heat consumers. Šiaulių Energija estimates that replacing natural gas with biomass saved its customers around €144 million between 2012 and 2024. 

The 2024 investment builds on a longer-term transition in the city, which has included biomass combined heat and power production and successive upgrades to the district heating system.

Šiauliai shows how solid biomass can support the decarbonisation of urban heating while reducing exposure to fossil fuel prices and making use of local renewable resources.