A new white paper from engineering firm Danfoss argues that European countries could do much to achieve Net Zero, by reducing heat waste., and through its capture and reuse The company argues that as much as 2,860 TWh/y of energy is wasted across the EU, equal to all of the region’s residential and service sector heat and hot water demands.
The company offers services in the power, climate, and electronic sectors, many of which can be used to reduce heat waste. It emphasises that reducing heat waste is an urgent policy issue, backed by evidence, with available engineering solutions, including capturing and reusing waste heat,.
Kim Fausing, president and CEO, says, “Excess heat is the world’s largest untapped source of energy. Still, very few initiatives have pushed for more efficient use of the vast amounts of wasted energy in the form of excess heat even though we already have the solutions available today.
“We urgently need policy measures to accelerate the use of excess heat across sectors, both so that citizens and businesses can benefit from lower energy costs and to ensure we step up progress in the green transition.”
Danfoss cities evidence from the International Energy Agency, saying that a global push for more efficient use of energy can reduce CO2 emissions by an additional 5 gigatons per year by 2030 compared with current policy settings. This is, Danfoss says, one-third of the required reduction needed to meet Net Zero by 2050.
The company argues that progress on the issue is being stymied by its lack of glamour. While politicians can win voters support with policies in favour of visible renewables like wind and solar power, reducing heat waste is more technical, and less glamorous. In the white paper, it says, “Part of the political neglect is arguably happening because of the inherent character of energy efficiency: Energy waste is invisible, and the solutions to increase efficiency in buildings, industry and transport are technical. However, while the solutions may not be as headline grabbing as wind turbines, they are nonetheless pivotal if we are to find a safer and greener route out of the multiple crises we are facing.”
The paper bemoans a lack of data on available heat across the continent. However, citing work by the University of Aalborg and Halmstad University, it makes a ‘conservative’ estimate that 2,860 TWh/y of waste heat could be reused.
It says that progress in reducing waste heat in industry has slowed. The industrial sector contributes to 39% of heat waste, and should be aiming to increase efficiency by 3% a year; in recent years, efficiency gains have halved from an insufficient 2% to a dismal 1% a year.
Similar is true of commercial properties, and other buildings, in cities. In Greater London, for example, the report says there are 648 facilities that between them produce over 9.5 TWh/y of excess heat. These could, Danfoss says, be used to supply heat for district energy systems.
