“Industry uses one-fifth of the world’s energy — mostly to generate heat. Yet most of that heat is wasted.”
With these eye-opening facts, Arne Høeg, CEO of ENERIN, opened a high-level panel hosted by We Don’t Have Time in collaboration with SUSHEAT project, held alongside of 10th IEA Global Conference on Energy Efficiency on 12-13 June in Brussels. His core message: capturing and reusing industrial waste heat utilizing next generation heat pumps and thermal technologies could reduce Europe’s total carbon emissions by up to 5%.
The SUSHEAT joint session, “Waste Industrial Heat into Wealth: New Innovations, Big Opportunities,” moderated by environmental journalist Nick Nuttall, unveiled the massive potential for decarbonizing European industry and presented a clear pathway to phase out fossil fuel boilers that generate process heat across sectors like food and beverages, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and more.
The panel brought together experts from the European Commission, the European Heat Pump Association, and SUSHEAT technology innovators to explore how scalable, efficient solutions can drive the clean energy transition — and what’s holding them back. Their message was clear: industrial waste heat recovery is both feasible and one of Europe’s most overlooked opportunities for cutting emissions and boosting economic competitiveness.
The panel featured experts including Rosalinde van der Vlies, Director at European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, Paul Kenny, Director General of European Heat Pump Association, Arne Høeg, CEO of ENERIN, and Silvia Trevisan, Assistant Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Industry accounts for roughly 20% of EU carbon emissions, yet much of the heat used in industrial processes is discarded into environment – often into air or river water – after a single use. This low-temperature waste heat (often below 200°C) can be recovered and reused at even higher temperatures, making it one of the most scalable and underutilized opportunities for industrial decarbonization.
Innovation Driving Industrial Efficiency
During the panel, SUSHEAT project innovators discussed integrated solutions that go beyond traditional heat pumps — including thermal storage systems that capture low-temperature waste heat or renewable energy and release it at higher temperatures when needed. Paired with renewable sources like solar, these innovations significantly enhance the flexibility and performance of industrial heat pumps.
Paul Kenny, Director General of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), emphasized that industrial heat pumps are no longer just climate solution — they are a strategic asset for Europe’s competitiveness and energy security.
“Europe is an energy-importing continent. We can’t stay competitive by relying on expensive, imported fossil fuels. Industrial heat pumps allow us to convert abundant renewable electricity into heat — reducing emissions, cutting costs, and keeping industry competitive,” he noted.
He added that innovations like those developed in SUSHEAT – particularly those combining heat pumps with thermal storage – mark an important step forward.
“EU support at the early stages is essential — not just to develop industrial heat pumps, but to unlock the next big challenge: flexibility and thermal storage. These systems allow heating or cooling when renewable electricity is cheap and abundant. That flexibility is what makes them a powerful enabler of industrial electrification,” he emphasized.
Silvia Trevisan, Assistant Professor in thermal technologies for decarbonization at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, explained the SUSHEAT system currently under development and validation: “SUSHEAT is not just about heat pumps — it’s about heat storage and systems integration. It’s a full decarbonization toolkit.”
The project integrates advanced thermal energy storage using phase change materials, solar input, and AI-powered controls. Together, these components allow heat to be stored when electricity is cheap or abundant and release on demand at the temperature industry needs.
This innovative solution can significantly improve energy flexibility, reduce costs, and boost the overall efficiency of heat pumps in real-world industrial settings.
From Innovation to Implementation: The Role of Policy
Scaling clean technologies from the lab to real-world deployment requires more than innovative ideas — it demands strong, sustained support from EU institutions. Rosalinde van der Vlies, Director at the Directorate-General for Energy, emphasized the European Commission’s commitment to creating an enabling environment and investing in innovation to maintain Europe’s leadership in clean tech.
“We’re proud that in Europe we have the largest publicly funded research and innovation programme – Horizon Europe is one example,” she said.
Van der Vlies highlighted that innovation and industrial strength are “two sides of the same coin.” Regulatory stability, she argued, is essential for turning technological breakthroughs into market-ready solutions.
“We provide long-term regulatory certainty with clear targets, especially around energy efficiency, giving companies the confidence to invest in solutions like industrial heat pumps and thermal technologies,” she said.
To support deployment, the EU backs innovation not just with policy, but with robust financial instruments such as the Innovation Fund, LIFE Programme, and InvestEU. New strategies currently in development, including the EU Heating and Cooling Strategy and an Electrification Roadmap, aim to remove remaining market and grid barriers, promote demand-side flexibility, and ensure the energy transition is both fair and economically viable across all regions.
“Yes, there are a lot of rules,” van der Vlies acknowledged, “but industry is asking for this. Clear standards provide certainty and create a level playing field across the EU.”
A Call to Action
The session emphasized that scaling these solutions will be essential to meet the EU’s goal of doubling energy efficiency by 2030. It also called for coordinated policy efforts, increased public and industrial awareness, and stronger collaboration between industry stakeholders.
As Arne Høeg concluded, “We have the technology and the tools. Now it’s time to industrialize and standardize to make these solutions accessible and cost-effective across Europe.”
About SUSHEAT
SUSHEAT is a Horizon Europe project focused on cutting industrial carbon emissions and boosting energy efficiency by recycling industrial waste heat and integrating renewable energy sources. With 14 partners spanning 10 European Union countries, the project’s goal is to develop and validate a heat upgrade system capable of delivering reliable and flexible industrial heat within a temperature range of 150ºC – 250ºC.
SUSHEAT will enhance ENERIN’s existing industrial High-Temperature Heat Pump (HT-HP) technology to capture waste heat and convert it into temperatures suitable for intensive manufacturing processes. Novel Thermal Energy Storage (TES) will be integrated into the innovative HT-HP system, alongside a Fresnel Solar Thermal Collector to harness and store solar energy. This innovative SUSHEAT System will be optimised using AI-driven energy management.
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