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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.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

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

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Coordinator

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Net EU contribution
€ 1 371 165,00
Address
PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECNOLOGICO DE GIPUZKOA MIKELETEGI PASEALEKUA 2
20009 DONOSTIA/SAN SEBASTIAN
Spain
Region
Noreste País Vasco Gipuzkoa
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 1 371 165,00

Participants (14)