Rethinking Industrial Process Heating


Industrial process heating is a cornerstone of manufacturing, yet it remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels. To meet Europe’s climate goals, the electrification of these high-energy processes is crucial. While technologies such as industrial heat pumps are effective at delivering low-temperature heat, there is a significant gap in viable solutions for industries requiring temperatures above 150°C.

EEETHOS addresses this gap by developing and demonstrating innovative, high-efficiency technologies that enable the electrification of high-temperature industrial heating up to 300°C both.

Why This Matters

Process heating takes up to 60% of total energy use in process industries, making it a major source of CO2 emissions. Electrifying these systems offers a path to a cleaner, more flexible, and cost-efficient industrial future — one that aligns with climate goals while enhancing operational resilience.

The EEETHOS Approach

EEETHOS integrates technological innovation with real-world industrial demonstrations:

Develop

Develop heat upgrade technologies (high-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs), steam compressors), heat exchange technologies, and optimized process equipment

Deploy

Deploy digital twins for system control and optimization

Demonstrate

Demonstrate solutions in five diverse industrial settings

Our Focus

EEETHOS targets five energy-intensive sectors

Asphalt

Electrified drying and heating using integrated drum dryers, HTHPs and steam compression

Steel

Radiative waste heat recovery for improved efficiency in casting

Bricks

Steam drying with flexible operation for faster, energy-efficient production

Ceramics

Reverse Brayton HTHP for high-temp kiln air pre-heating

Pulp & Paper

HTHPs with steam compressors replacing fossil-fuel steam systems

Objectives

Develop and validate five electrification technologies

(HTHPs, steam compressors, radiative heat recovery, drying equipment, and digital twins) suitable for high-temperature industrial heating processes

Demonstrate and evaluate these technologies at TRL7

in five distinct energy-intensive industrial sectors (asphalt, ceramics, pulp & paper, bricks, steel), ensuring broad applicability and performance under real operating conditions.

Achieve energy savings between 43% and 86%

while replacing fossil fuel-based heat with renewable electricity and reducing associated CO₂ emissions.

Establish integrated digital solutions

for process monitoring, optimization, and predictive maintenance, improving system flexibility and reliability.

Support commercialisation through industry-led demonstrations

and by developing business models for replication, standardisation, and market uptake across Europe’s process industries.

Contribute to EU climate targets

by enabling the electrification of >150°C heat processes and closing the current technological gap in industrial decarbonisation.- Enable digital monitoring, predictive maintenance, and control

The EEETHOS Consortium

EEETHOS brings together leading research institutions, technology providers, and industrial users from across Europe. Our partners combine deep technical expertise with real-world implementation capacity.

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