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Electric HEATing systems for decarbonization in the aluminium, steel, and cement industries

Objective

EHEAT tackles one of Europe’s hardest decarbonisation gaps: high-temperature process heat in energy-intensive industries. The project delivers a retrofit-ready electrification platform that couples microwave (MW) heating of recirculated flue gas (FGR), orchestrated by robust sensing, model-predictive control, and empirically calibrated digital twins. The result is fast, uniform, contactless heat with high energy-recovery and minimal emissions, deployable in existing furnaces without disruptive rebuilds.

EHEAT will engineer MW modules, FGR hardware, and MW-compatible refractories; qualify sensors and controls; and integrate them in pilots before industrial demonstrations (TRL7) in three sectors: aluminium (melting/holding), calcined-clay production for cement, and steel reheating/heat-treatment. Demonstrators will operate at production-relevant throughputs, targeting tight temperature uniformity, and 90–95% CO2-reduction vs. fossil baselines, while preserving product quality and production uptime.

To speed replication, EHEAT will deliver standardised mechanical/EMC/data interfaces, operator SOPs and training, and evidence packs including LCA/LCC/TEA and a GHG-avoidance methodology. The approach aligns with the Green Deal, the Industrial Emissions framework, and the Net-Zero Industry Act by reducing gas dependence, enabling EU-made electroheat supply chains, and improving workplace safety (no flame in the heat path, lower NOₓ/particulates).

By proving a modular, certifiable, and economically viable route to electrify furnaces up to ~1,250 °C, EHEAT creates a scalable blueprint for near-zero-emission heat in aluminium, cement, and steel – readily transferable to adjacent processes – and accelerates Europe’s path to climate-neutral industry.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2025-01

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Coordinator

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 371 165,00
Address
PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE GIPUZKOA MIKELETEGI PASEALEKUA 2
20009 DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIAN
Spain

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Region
Noreste País Vasco Gipuzkoa
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 371 165,00

Participants (14)