Call for Demonstration of industrial excess/waste heat conversion to mechanical or electrical powers
This topic supports demonstration projects that accelerate the recovery and conversion of industrial excess/waste heat into mechanical or electrical power. The focus is on real industrial environments, integrating heat-recovery and power-conversion technologies, potentially combined with thermal or electrical energy storage, to improve industrial energy efficiency, flexibility and decarbonisation.
Deadline: 15-09-2027
HORIZON-CL5-2027-05-D4-09
Scope. he topic aims to demonstrate innovative solutions for recovering excess/waste heat from industrial processes and converting it into mechanical or electrical power. Solutions may be combined with thermal and/or electrical energy storage to enable flexible electricity generation and contribute to grid stability. Projects should improve energy efficiency, reliability, safety, climate and environmental performance, profitability, and physical and cyber security. They should also develop pathways and business models for deployment within at least one industrial sector with significant heating demand and maximise the replicability of the solution across similar industrial sites in the EU and Associated Countries.
Sectors. Industrial manufacturing, energy-intensive industries, energy systems, energy efficiency, waste heat recovery, power generation, energy storage, smart grids, industrial digitalisation, SCADA/EMS and climate-neutral industry. The topic is particularly relevant to industrial sectors with significant process heat demand and substantial excess/waste heat streams.
Eligible applicants. Legal entity (including from Türkiye).
Key requirements. Projects must demonstrate the conversion of industrial excess/waste heat into mechanical or electrical power in a real industrial environment and reach TRL 7–8 by the end of the project. Proposals should demonstrate measurable improvements in energy efficiency and electricity-production flexibility and address reliability, safety, climate and environmental impacts, profitability, and physical and cyber security. Projects should maximise the replicability of the solution, develop pathways and business models for wider industrial deployment, and, where relevant, integrate thermal/electrical energy storage and SCADA/EMS systems.
Funding & duration. Funding rate up to 100% under Horizon Europe rules. Project budgets: 13,5 mln. Eur, Project duration: 36–48 months.