Vienna turned up the heat

Enerin Process and System Engineer, Tord Erlend Estensen, photographed earlier this year with the skid in the background at Eagle Technology in Norway.

For Enerin CEO Arne Høeg, the IEA Heat Pump Conference in Vienna remains one of his favourite events on the energy calendar. He presented at the conference and was joined by our newly-appointed CCO, Ralph Grøen.

The conference theme, "Decarbonisation through Innovation" showcased 380 technical submissions and contributions from across the global heat pump sectors. Enerin was pleased to see the reverse Stirling technology highlighted in the opening session for its ability to achieve high-temperature lifts at a leading energy efficiency.

Høeg presented peer-reviewed operational data from three industrial installations across the biogas, chemicals and seafood sectors in a paper titled "Performance Evaluation of an Industrial Heat Pump Based on a Reversed Stirling Cycle for Ultra-High-Temperature Applications". Together, the sites have accumulated over 17,000 operating hours (data presented from 15,000), demonstrating steam generation up to 200°C under real industrial conditions.

In Norway where carbon tax is amongst the highest in Europe; and electricity prices remain comparatively low; with no paid fossil fuel subsidies, electrification is strengthening the business case for replacing fossil-fuel boilers with industrial heat pumps. The HoegTemp™ can reduce emissions by up 100% when powered by renewable electricity.

Despite these advantages, speakers repeatedly highlighted the need for policy frameworks that improve the electricity-to-gas price ratio, which remains an obstacle for large-scale electrification in other European markets.

Discussions also focused on accelerating permitting processes, strengthening grid infrastructure, creating long-term investment certainty, including ensuring electricity markets better reward flexibility and efficiency.

Enerin’s Horizon Europe partners Mateo Sanclemente presented “Integrated High-Temperaturature Heat Pump and Thermal Energy Storage Laboratory Rig: Development of the Validation Plant and Preliminary Commissioning Results". Iman Golpour from UNED presented the “Life Cycle Assessment of a Stirling Cycle-Based High-Temperature Heat Pump for Industrial Decarbonization".

Enerin left Vienna encouraged by the growing momentum behind industrial heat pumps and excited for the work still ahead. Final photo call shows our Horizon Europe project partners (l-r): Iman Golpour (UNED); Rafael Guedez (KTH); Ralph Groen (Enerin), Arne Høeg (Enerin), Mateo Sanclemente Lozano (KTH); and Parth Kumavat (KTH).