The Rostock district heating network now supplies more than 60% of households with heat and hot water. The main energy source is a combined heat and power (CHP) natural gas plant. Since 1994, the waste heat from a bituminous coal power plant is also used. Centrally produced and distributed energy from a district heating network is more efficient and less air-polluting than having single oil-fired furnaces in every household. In 2007, the City of Rostock released a regulation “Fernwärmesatzung“, which states that every household has the obligation to connect to the heating network, unless other environmentally friendly heating systems were installed. In 2014, Rostock decided on a climate protection masterplan to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 95%. This includes reaching very ambitious renewable energy targets by 2050. The energy sources for the district heating system will change to renewables as soon as the existing plants need to be replaced. The district heating network is ready for renewable energy.