BAM - Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing of Germany

02/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/08/2024 09:14

BAM researches how industrial waste heat can be converted into electricity in EU project

08/02/2024

Large amounts of industrial waste heat remain unused, but could contribute to decarbonization.

Source: Adobe Stock/Andrei Merkulov

he HEAT4ENERGY project aims to recover industrial waste heat by converting it into electricity. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is developing and testing new materials for thermomagnetic generators. In addition, doctoral students are being trained as experts in the field in order to drive forward the energy transition in the EU.

The decarbonization of the European energy system is crucial for the EU to achieve its climate targets and CO2 neutrality by 2050. In addition to renewable energy from solar and wind power, there are large resources of unused waste heat from the food and paper industry, as well as from data centers,.

To date, there has been a lack of efficient technologies to recover this waste heat and convert it into electricity. The HEAT4ENERGY project, which is coordinated by Delft University of Technology, aims to develop thermomagnetic generators for the conversion of this low-temperature waste heat and to bring them to a viable market level.

Three demonstrators will be developed and validated as part of the project. Thermomagnetic materials and components will be synthesized to ensure the efficient transfer and conversion of waste heat into electrical energy. In-situ experiments will be used to prove the performance of these customized materials.

Anja Waske from BAM explains: "In the materials production and characterization work package, an interdisciplinary team will work with industrial partners to develop optimal materials and components for a new generation of thermomagnetic demonstrators that can efficiently transfer waste heat and convert it into electrical energy. The materials must be able to withstand numerous thermomagnetic cycles with only negligible fatigue or corrosion. We want to use in-situ experiments to test and improve the reliability of these customized materials."

In addition, HEAT4ENERGY is training doctoral students as experts who will drive forward the development and implementation of the conversion of waste heat into electricity in the future.

13 universities and research institutions from six countries and three industrial companies are involved in HEAT4ENERGY. The project is part of the EU Horizon Europe program and will run for four years. It is funded by the European Commission with 2.7 million euros and supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the European Commission fund excellent research and innovation and equip researchers at all stages of their career with new knowledge and skills, through mobility across borders and exposure to different sectors and disciplines. The MSCA help build Europe's capacity for research and innovation by investing in the long-term careers of excellent researchers.

Source: European Union