Science powers progress, and on the UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, EHPA is turning up the spotlight on the women driving Europe’s clean heating and cooling transition.
Since January, the #brightHERfuture campaign has been sharing ten video interviews with women working across six EU-funded projects on topics ranging from geothermal energy to heat storage, and today we celebrate their expertise, leadership and impact.
Heating and cooling may not always make the headlines, but they account for roughly half of Europe’s energy demand, making them a linchpin of the EU’s climate and energy ambitions.
The women featured in #brightHERfuture are tackling this challenge head-on, translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions that align with EHPA’s policy priorities.
From improving heat pump efficiency and flexibility in projects like EXQUISHEAT and GEOFLEXHEAT, to pioneering thermal energy storage in BEST-STORAGE and ECHO — because even energy deserves a savings account — these initiatives demonstrate the tangible impact of innovation on Europe’s energy and climate targets.
Similarly, projects like REDI4HEAT demonstrate how EU ambitions are translated into strong national frameworks, reinforcing the importance of robust energy and climate plans.
But technology alone isn’t enough. As Amber Riedl from the HeatCraftHP project said: “Heat pumps are an incredible technology — what’s holding us back is not enough skilled installers”. Scaling up clean heating solutions requires skilled professionals and the workforce and training needed to ensure high-quality installation, maintenance, and industrial leadership, in line with competitiveness and skills priorities.
Beyond celebrating individual achievements, #brightHERfuture sends a broader message: innovation thrives when talent is diverse and visible. By amplifying women’s voices in the technology & energy field, the campaign hopes to inspire future scientists and engineers and demonstrate that the path to climate neutrality shines brighter when more voices help shape it.
“EU funded projects create a safe space for diverse actors from many countries to collaborate, bringing together people who otherwise wouldn’t work together, and that drives real innovation.” – Emilia Pisani, TES Cluster (BEST-Storage, ECHO, Hystore, ThumbsUp).
On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we want to proudly recognise the women powering the projects, research and policy impact behind Europe’s clean heating and cooling transition — and keep the conversation going long past 11 February.
Explore more about EHPA’s policy priorities here and discover the featured projects: EXQUISHEAT, GEOFLEXHEAT, BEST-STORAGE, HEATCRAFTHP, REDI4HEAT, ECHO.
