معرفی
Pia Manz is a Researcher at the Department of Energy Technologies and Energy Systems at Fraunhofer ISI since 2017, focusing on energy system transformation pathways with an emphasis on district heating, excess heat utilization, and GIS-based modeling. She holds a PhD from Utrecht University (2024) on 'Towards climate-neutral district heating in the EU,' awarded for her dissertation exploring decarbonization strategies for heating systems.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor's in Renewable Energy Technology and Systems Engineering from Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, complemented by international experience at the University of Dundee, Scotland. During her studies, she gained hands-on research experience as a research assistant at Nordhausen's Institute for Renewable Energy Technology.
Manz's research bridges technical analysis and policy design, addressing challenges such as cost-effective integration of renewable and excess heat into district heating systems, hydrogen infrastructure needs in decarbonized energy systems, and spatial analysis of heat potentials. Her work frequently employs geographic information systems (GIS) to model demand sectors and assess policy instruments.
Her publication trends show a consistent focus on EU-wide decarbonization pathways, with contributions to studies like 'Achieving climate neutrality in district heating' (2025) and 'Hydrogen Infrastructure in the Future CO2-Neutral European Energy System' (2025). She collaborates extensively with institutions like Utrecht University and the German state of Baden-Württemberg on energy transition scenarios and congestion management strategies.
Key contributions include developing the FORECAST model for bottom-up industry sector analysis and pioneering georeferenced databases for industrial excess heat potentials. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates technical, economic, and policy dimensions to advance climate-neutral energy systems.
