DENEFF Study: green process heat on the rise

Green industrial process heat is no longer a niche topic – it is becoming a key growth market of the future. This is highlighted in a recent study by Prognos commissioned by the German Industry Initiative for Energy Efficiency (DENEFF). Industrial heat pumps, including waste heat recovery, are among the fastest-growing technologies, with export volumes doubling since 2010.

Strong growth in industrial heat pumps

Today, more than 60,000 people in Germany are employed in this sector, generating a gross value added of around 5.5 billion Euro in 2023 – about 70 percent more than in 2010. The projections underline the enormous potential: if climate targets are consistently pursued, the market volume could reach approximately 25 billion Euro by 2030 and as much as 91 billion Euro by 2050. In parallel, up to one million jobs could be created. Complementary analyses also indicate that efficiency measures could generate annual energy cost savings of about 21 billion Euro – without reducing production output.

Industry increasingly turning to electrified process heat

“Demand for electrified process heat has grown massively in recent times – and it continues to rise. We are no longer talking about pilot projects but about large-scale industrial conversions. High-temperature heat pumps are being deliberately adopted by companies because they provide a commercially viable and immediately deployable decarbonization solution. The market is moving, and electrification has become a real priority across many sectors,” emphasizes SPH Managing Director Andreas Mück.

With the ThermBooster™, a high-temperature heat pump developed by SPH for industrial applications, process heat levels of up to 200 °C can be supplied efficiently. Thanks to its modular, compact design, the ThermBooster™ can also be easily integrated into existing production environments.