Did you know that heavy industries produce nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions? At GeoS-TECHIS, we’re tackling this challenge head-on with groundbreaking geothermal solutions. As the global push for net-zero emissions intensifies, heavy industries face a formidable challenge: decarbonizing energy-intensive processes while preserving economic competitiveness.
Industrial heating and cooling, which account for nearly 70% of the sector’s energy consumption, are particularly difficult to transition due to their reliance on fossil fuels. The GeoS-TECHIS project, funded by Horizon Europe, is addressing these barriers through innovative solutions leveraging geothermal energy, advanced thermal systems, and digital twins. In this fifth blog, we explore the complexities of industrial decarbonization, highlight GeoS-TECHIS’s cutting-edge approaches, and showcase real-world impacts driving a sustainable future.
The Scale of the Challenge
Industrial processes consume 38% of global energy, with heating and cooling systems contributing significantly to CO2 emissions. Decarbonizing these systems is critical but fraught with obstacles:
- High-Temperature Requirements: Industrial processes, such as manufacturing or chemical production, often have large thermal requirements, both for process heating and cooling. Particularly challenging is the decarbonization of high-temperature process heating, typically at temperatures well above 100 °C. Renewables may be selected to provide this heat, directly or indirectly through high-temperature heat pumps. However, the latter require reliable and consistent heat sources, and geothermal energy has the potential to fulfill this need.
- Exploration Costs and Risks: Geothermal energy, a promising alternative, requires costly drilling and resource mapping, with no guaranteed success.
- Infrastructure Integration: Retrofitting or replacing legacy systems with renewable solutions is technically complex and financially daunting.
- Variable Energy Demands: Industrial energy needs fluctuate based on production schedules or market conditions, requiring flexible systems to maintain efficiency.
- Stakeholder Skepticism: Misconceptions about geothermal energy’s reliability, scalability, or environmental impact can slow adoption.
These challenges demand innovative, scalable solutions that balance technical feasibility, economic viability, and environmental impact. GeoS-TECHIS is rising to the occasion, developing technologies tested at the Kauman demonstration site in Spain to prove their practical potential.
GeoS-TECHIS: A Blueprint for Decarbonization
The collaboration involving ITG, EnginSoft, SINTEF Energy Research, AiTown, and the University of Ljubljana, among others, is pioneering solutions to make industrial decarbonization achievable. By integrating geothermal energy, advanced thermal systems, and digital twins, the project addresses the core barriers to sustainable industrial transformation. Below, we outline key innovations driving this mission.
1. Meeting High-Temperature Needs with Geothermal Energy
Industrial processes like chemical manufacturing require high temperatures that are challenging for most renewables.GeoS-TECHIS taps into medium-depth geothermal sources (~100°C) for reliable, eco-friendly heating and cooling. Our flexible systems adapt to the dynamic energy needs of industries like manufacturing. High-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) and heat-driven ejector refrigeration systems, using natural refrigerants, provide modular, scalable solutions for heating and cooling.
The models SINTEF develops are key to designing the GeoS-TECHIS prototype of integrated high-temperature heat pump and ejector cooling system, the industrial thermal demands, and the geothermal source. EnginSoft’s expertise in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) ensures accurate modeling of critical components, such as ejectors.
The project’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, supported by hybrid digital modeling, predicts thermal demands based on production schedules or renewable energy availability, enabling efficient operation scheduling.
To address variable energy demands, GeoS-TECHIS’s solution integrates Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems using bio-based heat transfer fluids. These systems store excess heat during low-demand periods and release it as needed, enhancing flexibility. The University of Ljubljana is developing TES models, including underground storage, to assess how to optimize their use. These models will also incorporate the characterization of the new heat transfer fluids, developed by LEITAT. This approach will improve overall system efficiency by 15%.
2. Addressing Variable Demands with Smart Systems
Industrial energy demands are rarely static, but GeoS-TECHIS’s integrated thermal systems are designed to adapt. An integrated high-temperature heat pump (HTHP) and heat-driven ejector refrigeration systems, using natural refrigerants like water (R718) and propane (R290) respectively, provide modular and scalable solutions for heating and cooling. These systems can adjust to fluctuating demands, ensuring consistent performance across diverse industrial applications.
3. Reducing Costs with AI-Driven Exploration
The high upfront costs and uncertainties of geothermal exploration have long deterred adoption. GeoS-TECHIS overcomes this through AiTown’s Advanced AI-driven Geothermal Exploration Methodology (AIGEM). AIGEM uses machine learning to analyze complex geo-datasets, including remote sensing data, to improve the accuracy of resource mapping. This reduces exploration risks and costs, making geothermal energy more accessible.
These AI-driven tools will be validated with data from other locations and then will be applied to the Kauman pilot site, to evaluate the potential of geothermal energy in the area. By lowering upfront costs, GeoS-TECHIS is making renewable energy a more attractive investment for industries.
4. Seamless Integration with Digital Twins
Integrating renewable energy systems into existing industrial infrastructure is a complex task, but GeoS-TECHIS is simplifying the process through digital twins—virtual replicas of physical systems that enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization. ITG leads the development of the Hybrid Digital Twin, which combines physical models with data-driven approaches to enhance system performance and adaptability.
At Kauman, digital twins will be used to assess system performance in real time, identifying inefficiencies like energy losses or equipment wear. These models will also simulate different configurations or operation schedules, such as adjustments in heat pump operations or TES integration, to identify the most efficient setups.
The project’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, DeCO2, supported by hybrid digital modeling, enables optimized decision-making. For example, digital twins can predict thermal demands based on production schedules or renewable energy availability, allowing industries to schedule operations efficiently and reduce costs. This adaptability is critical for industries with dynamic energy needs, such as food processing or manufacturing.
5. Building Trust Through Demonstration and Outreach
Skepticism about geothermal energy’s reliability can hinder adoption. GeoS-TECHIS addresses this through the Kauman pilot, which demonstrates the practical application of geothermal systems in industrial settings, leading to enhanced energy efficiency and reduced operational costs. To engage with the community and stakeholders, we are developing a cost-benefit analysis tool to illustrate the financial benefits and organizing free webinars to provide accessible information for non-technical audiences. These initiatives, along with regularly updated website resources, aim to build trust and encourage the adoption of geothermal technologies across various industrial sectors.
6. Projected Real-World Impact: Kauman Pilot
The Kauman demonstration site, focused on conveyor belt production, is scheduled for implementation no earlier than 2027. It will integrate geothermal doublets, TES systems, and digital twins to drive emission reductions. Once operational, AI-driven exploration is expected to cut planning costs by up to 25%, while digital twins are projected to boost efficiency by 15% and reduce downtime. These anticipated outcomes point to strong replication potential across sectors like chemical manufacturing and large-scale refrigeration—demonstrating that, by 2027 and beyond, sustainable solutions can be both practical and profitable.
A Vision for the Future
GeoS-TECHIS is more than a research project—it’s a roadmap for decarbonizing industry. By addressing the technical, economic, and societal challenges of transitioning to sustainable energy systems, the project is proving that renewable solutions can be practical, impactful, and scalable. The innovations that will be developed at Kauman—advanced thermal systems, AI-driven exploration, digital twins, and IIoT, etc.—offer a model that can be replicated across industries, from manufacturing to large-scale refrigeration.
The potential impact is significant. If scaled effectively, geothermal energy could meet 25% of Europe’s heating and cooling demand by 2030, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the EU’s climate goals. GeoS-TECHIS is laying the groundwork for this transformation, demonstrating that sustainability and industrial competitiveness can go hand in hand.
Join the GeoS-TECHIS Movement
GeoS-TECHIS is revolutionizing industrial energy systems through innovation and collaboration. Explore our open-source tools, contribute to our mission, or share your ideas at the GeoS-TECHIS homepage. Tweet us @GeoSTECHIS with your thoughts on sustainable industry! Together, we can build a greener, more resilient industrial future.
Let’s shape a sustainable tomorrow!
The GeoS-TECHIS Team
