Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PUSH2HEAT (Pushing forward the market potential and business models of waste heat valorisation by full-scale demonstration of next-gen heat upgrade technologies in various industrial contexts.)
Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-09-30
One of the European Commission’s four main priorities is building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe, identifying among the priority actions “accelerating the transition to renewables and increasing energy efficiency”. In this context, industry must play a major role in the energy transition to meet the targets of climate neutrality. Increased energy efficiency through the recovery and upgrade of waste heat is the first step towards decarbonization in the industrial sector. Industrial process heat has a significant weight in the total energy demand of the European industry: it accounts for about 66 % (1,952 TWh/a in EU 2015) of the total final energy demand. By combining the two market segments for applications up to 100 °C and from 100 °C to 200° C, HP technologies could potentially deliver 730 TWh/a or 37 % of the process heat in industry. Overall, great application potential for HP technologies has been identified in the food, paper, and chemical industries.
The PUSH2HEAT project aims at pushing forward the market potential and business models of heat upgrade technologies, by full scale demonstration of heat upgrade systems in relevant industrial sectors with high waste heat recovery and upgrading potential, with supply temperature in the range of 90-160ºC.
Although different heat upgrade technologies exist, the singularity of each industrial process, the technical barriers for successful integration and the lack of experiences of heat upgrading in temperatures above 100 ºC, make difficult the wide deployment of such systems for the targeted temperatures. To overcome these challenges, PUSH2HEAT aims to develop and demonstrate four different heat upgrade technologies, including the most relevant electrically and thermally driven heat pumps for the mentioned target temperatures.
The heat upgrade technologies will be integrated into different industrial plants in the paper and chemical industries, for long-term full-scale demonstration, making use of process and cogeneration (CHP) waste heat sources and delivering process steam.
PUSH2HEAT results and lessons learnt could address the valorisation of 5% of the relevant available industrial waste heat at EU level. Therefore, PUSH2HEAT would trigger an energy efficiency increase in EU industries estimated at yearly 3,632.8 GWh/yr Primary Energy Savings and 827.8 ktCO2/yr emissions reduction by 2030, derived from switching from fossil-based supply units to the proposed heat upgrade technologies.
The PUSH2HEAT project aims at pushing forward the market potential and business models of heat upgrade technologies, by full scale demonstration of heat upgrade systems in relevant industrial sectors with high waste heat recovery and upgrading potential, with supply temperature in the range of 90-160ºC.
Although different heat upgrade technologies exist, the singularity of each industrial process, the technical barriers for successful integration and the lack of experiences of heat upgrading in temperatures above 100 ºC, make difficult the wide deployment of such systems for the targeted temperatures. To overcome these challenges, PUSH2HEAT aims to develop and demonstrate four different heat upgrade technologies, including the most relevant electrically and thermally driven heat pumps for the mentioned target temperatures.
The heat upgrade technologies will be integrated into different industrial plants in the paper and chemical industries, for long-term full-scale demonstration, making use of process and cogeneration (CHP) waste heat sources and delivering process steam.
PUSH2HEAT results and lessons learnt could address the valorisation of 5% of the relevant available industrial waste heat at EU level. Therefore, PUSH2HEAT would trigger an energy efficiency increase in EU industries estimated at yearly 3,632.8 GWh/yr Primary Energy Savings and 827.8 ktCO2/yr emissions reduction by 2030, derived from switching from fossil-based supply units to the proposed heat upgrade technologies.
Work on four full-scale pilot plants is currently ongoing. The main contributions achieved so far in the project can be gathered in two main points:
1. Reference Pilots for Full-Scale Demonstration
One of the major gaps identified by end-users is the lack of real-world references for HTHPs. While the technology exists and more manufacturers are entering the market, there are not many operational examples yet. PUSH2HEAT addresses this gap by implementing four full-scale pilot installations, which will serve as lighthouse projects for other industrial stakeholders, demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of heat upgrade systems in real industrial environments.
2. Steam Generation for Industrial Processes
Another critical challenge is not only providing heat at the required temperature level but also generating process steam, which is essential in most industrial applications. This adds complexity to the integration of HTHPs. PUSH2HEAT is making a significant contribution by demonstrating different technical solutions for steam generation and integration, paving the way for broader adoption of electrified heat supply in steam-intensive industries.
Overview of the Four Demonstration Sites:
• Demo 1: at Felix Schoeller Group (paper mill, Germany)
Production of process steam from low-grade waste heat (40–50 °C), achieving a temperature lift of about 80 K. The generated steam will be integrated directly into the paper drying process (on the drying cylinders).
• Demo 2: at Cartiera di Guarcino (paper mill, Italy)
Recovery of medium-grade waste heat (80–90 °C) using a HTHP to produce process steam up to 6.5 bar(a), a typical low-pressure level in many industrial plants. First, a HTHP raises the temperature to 115 °C, followed by mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) to reach the required steam pressure.
• Demo 3: at Cartiera di Guarcino (paper mill, Italy)
Installation of a thermally driven heat pump in the same paper mill as Demo 2, showcasing an alternative technology particularly suitable where electricity prices are high or electrical capacity is limited. This system will also generate process steam at 6.5 bar(a) from waste heat at 80–90 °C, using a two-step upgrade: first with the heat pump and then with a thermocompressor.
• Demo 4: at Borealis (chemical plant, Belgium)
This case complements the previous installations by introducing another heat pump technology, expanding the range of scenarios, processes, and boundary conditions that can be addressed. The thermo-chemical heat transformer enables higher temperatures than the earlier technologies.
1. Reference Pilots for Full-Scale Demonstration
One of the major gaps identified by end-users is the lack of real-world references for HTHPs. While the technology exists and more manufacturers are entering the market, there are not many operational examples yet. PUSH2HEAT addresses this gap by implementing four full-scale pilot installations, which will serve as lighthouse projects for other industrial stakeholders, demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of heat upgrade systems in real industrial environments.
2. Steam Generation for Industrial Processes
Another critical challenge is not only providing heat at the required temperature level but also generating process steam, which is essential in most industrial applications. This adds complexity to the integration of HTHPs. PUSH2HEAT is making a significant contribution by demonstrating different technical solutions for steam generation and integration, paving the way for broader adoption of electrified heat supply in steam-intensive industries.
Overview of the Four Demonstration Sites:
• Demo 1: at Felix Schoeller Group (paper mill, Germany)
Production of process steam from low-grade waste heat (40–50 °C), achieving a temperature lift of about 80 K. The generated steam will be integrated directly into the paper drying process (on the drying cylinders).
• Demo 2: at Cartiera di Guarcino (paper mill, Italy)
Recovery of medium-grade waste heat (80–90 °C) using a HTHP to produce process steam up to 6.5 bar(a), a typical low-pressure level in many industrial plants. First, a HTHP raises the temperature to 115 °C, followed by mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) to reach the required steam pressure.
• Demo 3: at Cartiera di Guarcino (paper mill, Italy)
Installation of a thermally driven heat pump in the same paper mill as Demo 2, showcasing an alternative technology particularly suitable where electricity prices are high or electrical capacity is limited. This system will also generate process steam at 6.5 bar(a) from waste heat at 80–90 °C, using a two-step upgrade: first with the heat pump and then with a thermocompressor.
• Demo 4: at Borealis (chemical plant, Belgium)
This case complements the previous installations by introducing another heat pump technology, expanding the range of scenarios, processes, and boundary conditions that can be addressed. The thermo-chemical heat transformer enables higher temperatures than the earlier technologies.
Based on the performed work so far, the following results beyond the state of the art should be highlighted:
- A 1,2 MW HTHP with piston compressor for steam generation at 2,2 bar(a) (123ºC) from waste heat at 45-55ºC. It’s a double stage compression cycle being able to provide a temperature lift of 83K with an expected COP of 2,3. Technology improvements: direct steam generation and improved standardization and modularity of the HTHPs production enabling a reduction of integration costs as well as easy system upscaling.
- A 0,8 MW HTHP with screw compressor, coupled with a MVR unit, for steam generation up to 6,5 bar(a) from waste heat at 85-90ºC, providing an expected COP of 3. Technology improvements: direct steam production and an oil-free MVR, eliminating a pinch point and improving COP by 8-10%. Robust screw compressors and simplified architecture.
- An upscaled and optimized design of a 340 kW AHT unit, coupled with a thermocompressor, for steam generation at 6,5 bar(a) from waste heat at 85-90ºC, being able to provide upgraded heat with an expected electric COP of 25 and thermal efficiency of 0,48. Technology improvements: optimized thermal and hydraulic design of the heat exchangers and auxiliary components; advanced control system for optimized operation efficiency with high robustness and reliability.
- Optimized thermochemical heat transformer technology adapted from current temperature levels (90-140ºC to 140-185ºC) to the new temperature levels (60-90ºC to 105-160ºC). Technology improvements: adapted working range addressing a larger set of industrial processes in the MW-scale; improved recuperator design; improved electric COP from 15 to 30.
Within 2026 monitoring data from real operation will be available and first KPIs will be obtained. Preliminary estimates of the energetic and environmental impacts indicate significant benefits. Specifically, the potential primary energy savings is estimated at 8.894 MWh/year, while the reduction in CO2 emissions reduction is estimated at 1.707 tons per year across all the demo sites.
- A 1,2 MW HTHP with piston compressor for steam generation at 2,2 bar(a) (123ºC) from waste heat at 45-55ºC. It’s a double stage compression cycle being able to provide a temperature lift of 83K with an expected COP of 2,3. Technology improvements: direct steam generation and improved standardization and modularity of the HTHPs production enabling a reduction of integration costs as well as easy system upscaling.
- A 0,8 MW HTHP with screw compressor, coupled with a MVR unit, for steam generation up to 6,5 bar(a) from waste heat at 85-90ºC, providing an expected COP of 3. Technology improvements: direct steam production and an oil-free MVR, eliminating a pinch point and improving COP by 8-10%. Robust screw compressors and simplified architecture.
- An upscaled and optimized design of a 340 kW AHT unit, coupled with a thermocompressor, for steam generation at 6,5 bar(a) from waste heat at 85-90ºC, being able to provide upgraded heat with an expected electric COP of 25 and thermal efficiency of 0,48. Technology improvements: optimized thermal and hydraulic design of the heat exchangers and auxiliary components; advanced control system for optimized operation efficiency with high robustness and reliability.
- Optimized thermochemical heat transformer technology adapted from current temperature levels (90-140ºC to 140-185ºC) to the new temperature levels (60-90ºC to 105-160ºC). Technology improvements: adapted working range addressing a larger set of industrial processes in the MW-scale; improved recuperator design; improved electric COP from 15 to 30.
Within 2026 monitoring data from real operation will be available and first KPIs will be obtained. Preliminary estimates of the energetic and environmental impacts indicate significant benefits. Specifically, the potential primary energy savings is estimated at 8.894 MWh/year, while the reduction in CO2 emissions reduction is estimated at 1.707 tons per year across all the demo sites.