A newly launched EU-funded project aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of Europe’s food and drink industry by developing standardised heat pump solutions.
The three-year EXQUISHEAT project, which brings together nine partners from six European countries, will identify where heat pumps can deliver the greatest efficiency gains in the food and drink sector and develop replicable solutions ready for market adoption.
As Prof. Dr. Uli Jakob, Managing Director JER and Technical Coordinator of EXQUISHEAT said, “Sustainable heat from heat pumps using industrial waste heat will make a major contribution to the decarbonisation of the European food industry.”
By connecting technology suppliers and end-users, the project contributes directly to the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan and supports the objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act, which calls for 40% of Europe’s climate-neutral technologies to be produced within the EU by 2030.
The food industry is among the most promising sectors for heat pump integration, thanks to its significant heat demand, waste heat potential, and continuous production cycles.
The EXQUISHEAT project is co-funded by the LIFE Clean Energy Transition Programme. The kick-off meeting took place in Brussels on 21-22 October 2025.
The project’s work is structured around several complementary activities. It will ensure effective coordination and management across all partners while analysing industrial processes to determine where heat pump integration can provide the most impact. Based on this work, the consortium will design standardised solutions for four main applications — sanitation and hot water, pasteurisation, evaporation and concentration, and refrigeration and cooling.
In parallel, partners will carry out awareness-raising and stakeholder engagement activities, organising workshops and interviews with food industry representatives and heat pump suppliers. These exchanges will help identify market barriers and co-create solutions that address real industrial needs.
Building on this collaboration, EXQUISHEAT will also establish a European roundtable to promote dialogue between the food industry and heat pump manufacturers, laying the foundation for lasting cooperation and innovation.
To ensure long-term impact, the project will also develop business models, replication studies, and user-friendly tools — including practical guidelines and an online checklist to help companies assess the feasibility of integrating heat pumps into their processes. Comprehensive dissemination and communication activities will ensure that the project’s results reach a wide audience across Europe, fostering greater awareness and adoption of industrial heat pump technologies.
Selected for its strong partnership, sound methodology, and high replication potential, EXQUISHEAT stands out for its contribution to bridging the gap between research and application. By developing and promoting standardised, ready-to-implement heat pump solutions, the project will play a key role in supporting Europe’s industrial decarbonisation goals and ensuring a sustainable, competitive future for the food sector.
Project Partners are Veolia, Dr. Jacob Energy Research GmbH & Co. KG, European Heat Pump Association, National Energy Conservation Agency, GEA Refrigeration Technology GmbH, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Food-Processing Initiative e.V., Asociacion Cluster Alimentario de Galicia, Clivet S.p.a.
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