The SUSHEAT project consortium gathered in Sibiu, Romania, for its 4th General Meeting on May 13-14, 2025, marking a significant milestone – reaching the halfway through the project’s journey. With 24 months completed, this meeting highlighted the progress made in developing and validating three groundbreaking technologies for sustainable heat upgrades in industry, as well as introducing a novel, intelligent integration of waste and recycling.
The meeting, hosted by project partner WIZ Research and led by coordinator UNED, focused on reviewing the progress made so far. In addition to technological developments, the consortium shared key research findings and plans for dissemination with relevant stakeholders positioned to turn them into action – including scientists, industry experts, commercial stakeholders, policymakers, and civil society. WIZ Research, a specialized SME, brings expertise in advanced digital technologies such as data-driven digital twins, artificial intelligence, and user-friendly systems.
As the consortium reflected on its achievements and charted the path forward, several technological breakthroughs stood out, marking the transition from concept to tangible progress in industrial heat upgrade solutions.
Key highlights of the project progress: Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Tank Design and Optimization
Significant progress has been made in the development and optimization of next-generation Thermal Energy Storage (TES) tank. The project team has successfully integrated nature-inspired design principles with artificial intelligence. Drawing inspiration from vascular systems found in nature, researchers developed a bio-inspired framework that combines biomimicry with genetic algorithms to generate highly efficient TES tank geometries. In March 2025, SUSHEAT researchers from the University of Lleida published the results of this breakthrough in a study titled “Optimizing the Design of TES Tanks for Thermal Energy Storage Applications Through an Integrated Biomimetic-Genetic Algorithm Approach.” The study introduces a novel computational framework that merges biomimicry with genetic algorithms to create high-performance TES tank geometries. Inspired by thermal regulation patterns in natural vascular systems, the AI-driven design achieved a 29% increase in heat transfer surface area – all while staying within practical manufacturing constraints. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on fixed, pre-set geometries, this methodology allows for systematic, scalable exploration of efficient and manufacturable tank designs. The research marks a major step in connecting computational intelligence with sustainable energy engineering, laying a solid foundation for the upcoming phase of experimental validation.
This innovation supports SUSHEAT’s goal of developing high-performance, sustainable thermal energy storage for improved industrial energy efficiency. The TES system stores low-temperature heat from sources like waste heat or solar energy and releases it on demand at higher temperatures, providing both energy flexibility and temperature boosts when integrated with a heat pump system.
Bridging Innovation with Industrial Deployment: Case Study Spotlight at Fishmeal Processing Plant
In March 2025, the SUSHEAT project reached another key milestone with the commissioning of a high-temperature heat pump (HT-HP), delivered by project partner ENERIN, at Pelagia’s fishmeal processing plant in Måløy, Norway. As one of two project case studies, Pelagia provides a real-world environment to validate SUSHEAT technologies to test temperature lift as well as heat input and output variability.
Installed by ENERIN, the 400kW HoegTemp system is now delivering steam from low-grade waste heat (15 – 90°C), with output temperatures progressing toward the 200 – 250°C range -matching the requirements of existing fossil-fired boilers. Initial tests confirm stable steam production, demonstrating the heat pump’s capacity to meet high-temperature industrial demands with a low-emission alternative.
This successful deployment marks a critical step in validating SUSHEAT’s approach to replacing fossil-fuel boilers with energy-efficient, flexible, and low-carbon thermal solutions. Performance metrics, including the system’s Coefficient of Performance (COP), are expected to be released in the coming months as part of the project result titled Expected Heat Pump Performance and Coefficient of Performance (COP).
AI Innovation: Digital Twin Architecture for Heat Upgrade Systems
SUSHEAT partner WIZ Research has delivered a major advancement in the project’s digital innovation track with the development of a modular digital twin architecture tailored for high-temperature heat upgrade systems. The results were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal article “Designing a Conceptual Digital Twin Architecture for High-Temperature Heat Upgrade Systems.”
The proposed digital twin, integrated into the physical heat-upgrade system, enables real-time simulation, predictive analysis, and system optimization by digitally replicating the system’s behavior. It addresses the complexity of renewable energy processes – such as varying temperature levels and flow rates, offering a powerful tool for early design, integration, and operation of sustainable heat technologies. This innovation strengthens SUSHEAT’s ability to deliver smart, efficient, and low-emission industrial heat solutions, supporting the EU’s climate goals and the transition away from fossil fuels.
Dissemination of Research Results
At its 24-month milestone, SUSHEAT has made key results publicly available, offering valuable insights for industry, researchers, and policymakers. Six project deliverables highlight breakthroughs in phase change materials, system optimization, and thermal storage validation. Complementing this, six peer-reviewed publications cover digital twin architectures, bio-inspired storage, high-temperature heat pumps, and energy system design.
These publications reflect SUSHEAT’s commitment to advancing the science of sustainable heat technologies and ensuring the knowledge is accessible for real-world use – through research, commercial applications, or policy innovation.
