Amsterdam has recently announced ambitious climate targets, with district heating forming a key part of the strategy to secure them. There are regular strategic discussions between the municipal council and market parties on the use of such heat, particularly when large-scale construction and restructuring projects are on the agenda. The council has expressed a need for substantive support in the field of district heat and therefore asked CE Delft to prepare background documentation on the topic. This report, the result of that effort, examines the features of the present district heating system, the issue of CO2 reduction, the advantages of a ‘horseshoe’ grid and potential innovations for securing even greater environmental gains. The report concludes with a management summary in which CE Delft puts forward its own vision on district heating in Amsterdam.