Just two days after the European Commission announced the second €1 billion round of the Innovation Fund Heat Auction, industrial heat pumps were back in the spotlight during EHPA’s latest Heat BIG webinar.
One key message throughout the session was that industrial end users should not have to navigate the transition alone. Companies need support to identify the right large-scale heat pump solutions for their processes and business models.
For the paper and pulp sector, this means strengthening the ongoing work with industry, including trade body Cepi to ensure the technologies being developed respond to real industrial needs.
Organised as part of the Push2Heat EU-funded project, the webinar brought together researchers, technology providers and industry experts to discuss how high-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) can help paper mills recover waste heat, reduce fossil fuel use and cut emissions while staying competitive.
Cordin Arpagaus, Senior Research Engineer at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST), presented a new tool, currently under development, to help companies identify suitable industrial heat pumpsolutions and assess the best business opportunities.
The tool aims to bridge the gap between technology providers and industrial customers by focusing on operational needs, investment priorities and product-market fit. It is currently under development and will be made available in the future.
The session also showcased how these technologies are already moving from theory to practice.
Abdelrahman Hassan from the University of Valencia presented results from the Cartiere di Guarcino paper mill in Italy, where a high-temperature heat pump and mechanical vapour recompression system have been designed to recover waste heat and generate steam for industrial processes. Compared to a conventional gas boiler, the system could save around 817 tonnes of CO₂ per year while improving overall energy efficiency.
Staying with the Italian demonstration site, Laura Alonso from the Spanish research centre Tecnalia shared updates on the heat transformer demonstrator developed within the project. The installation was commissioned in late 2025 and is now entering a one-year monitoring phase. Expected results include around 500 tonnes of CO₂ savings per year and 2,800 MWh of primary energy savings annually.
The webinar closed with a look at industrial heat pumps on an even larger scale.
Rocco Altieri from Turboden presented a case study from the Delfort paper mill in Finland, featuring one of the largest steam-generating heat pump systems currently operating in the paper industry. The system converts low-temperature waste heat into fully decarbonised steam and avoids more than 19,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year.
This webinar was part of EHPA’s Heat BIG webinar series, which explores the role of heat pumps in decarbonising industry across Europe. Upcoming sessions will focus on industrial heat pumps in the dairy sector on 18 June and industrial heat pumps and Organic Rankine Cycles on 25 June, with additional webinars on chemicals and financing solutions planned in the coming months.
