HTHP Symposium 2024

A step back to the HTHP Symposium from January 2024

The High-Temperature Heat Pump Symposium 2024 marked a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainable industrial process heating and district heating. Since the first symposium in 2017, the HTHP Symposium has seen a remarkable increase in participation, with numbers growing from 65 to over 400 attendees this year. This growth mirrors the rising recognition of high-temperature heat pumps as a game changer in energy efficiency and decarbonization.

High-temperature heat pumps have become more relevant than ever, with industrial and academic interest at an all-time high. The ambition towards sustainability is increasing, driven by the need for decarbonization through electrification and energy efficiency. The symposium highlighted the substantial potential of high-temperature heat pumps, which are now seen as integral to the strategies of many process industries aiming to reduce CO₂ emissions. The development of heat pump technologies capable of reaching temperatures well above 100 °C is a testament to this growing relevance.

The symposium was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 23-24, and during this two-day event, participants had the opportunity to engage with three keynote presentations, 57 in-depth presentations, and 22 poster presentations. The program also featured three engaging debate sessions which provided a comprehensive platform for discussing market expansion, sharing early implementation experiences, and evaluating refrigerant safety.

The symposium emphasized the importance of efficient communication between technology providers, process industries, consultants, energy planners, policymakers, and R&D institutions. This dialogue is essential for overcoming the challenges associated with emerging technologies and for realizing the full potential of high-temperature heat pumps.

The High-Temperature Heat Pump Symposium 2024 showcased the latest advancements, fostered valuable discussions, and reinforced the collaborative efforts needed to drive the industry forward. The gathering of over 400 participants underscored the collective commitment to advancing HTHP technology and its applications. The sucess of the event was also made possible by the significant contributions of the many exhibitors, who support ongoing progress in the field.

The three keynote speakers at the HTHP Symposium 2024, Dr. Jan Rosenow, Niels Fuglsang and Benjamin Zühlsdorf.

Setting the scene: Keynote speakers at HTHP Symposium 2024

The HTHP Symposium 2024 was launched with enlightening keynote speeches by three distinguished experts in the field of energy and industrial decarbonization. Below is a brief introduction to each keynote speaker along with highlights from their presentations.

Making Thermodynamics Great Again: High-Temperature Heat Pumps
Jan Rosenow, a Principal and Director of European Programmes at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), kicked off the symposium with a compelling discussion on the potential of high-temperature heat pumps in industrial applications. Dr. Rosenow emphasized the critical role of policy frameworks in driving the electrification of industrial heating. His keynote highlighted that industrial sectors burning fossil fuels for heating contribute to 20 % of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. He noted that up to 78 % of industrial energy use could be electrified with existing technologies, with half of that within the operating range of heat pumps. His talk focused on the necessary policy and regulatory solutions to accelerate industry electrification, drawing parallels from the electrification of building heat.

“The potential for industrial electrification is huge. We now need to move from potential to implementation. This will only happen if policy makers set the right framework that enables the industry to move forward at the pace required to meet the climate goals.”

High-Temperature Heat Pumps - Exploiting the Potential
Benjamin Zühlsdorf, Innovation Director at Danish Technological Institute, presented on the immense potential of high-temperature heat pumps in industrial decarbonization. He described high-temperature heat pumps as a "sleeping giant" which is essential for industrial processes but has yet to be proven at scale. In his keynote, Benjamin Zühlsdorf provided insights into the current status of HTHP technologies and their development prospects. He underscored the need for a concerted effort from various stakeholders to fully exploit these technologies and achieve significant breakthroughs in industrial decarbonization.

“The HTHP industry approaches a market breakthrough – several technologies are being tested, demonstrated and commercialized. Exploiting the full potential requires a dedicated, joint effort of a variety of stakeholders. If we succeed with this, HTHPs will be a game changer for industrial decarbonization.”

A Crucial Time for Energy Efficiency
Niels Fuglsang, a member of the European Parliament and lead negotiator on the Energy Efficiency Directive, concluded the keynote session with a focus on the urgency of accelerating industrial heating electrification and expanding district heating to meet climate goals and reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

“We are in a critical time for speeding up electrification of industrial heating and roll out more district heating. Both to reach our climate goals and finally get rid of Russian fossil fuels. Improving the technical solutions is crucial in reaching these targets.” 

Insightful dialogues: Exploring key issuses

The program also featured three engaging debate sessions which provided a comprehensive platform for discussing market expansion, sharing early implementation experiences, and evaluating refrigerant safety. The three debates focused on the following topics:

Market ramp-up ahead - Joint forces required! This debate highlighted the challenges and strategies needed to scale the market for high-temperature heat pumps. It emphasized the necessity for end-users to adopt emerging technologies, for technology suppliers to develop solutions with unclear application potentials, and for policymakers to consider new technologies for a nascent market. The discussion focused on how different stakeholders can collaborate across various disciplines to fully exploit the potential of HTHPs.

Making it happen - Experiences from frontrunners working with HTHPs. This session invited early adopters to share their experiences and insights on implementing high-temperature heat pumps. Participants discussed the barriers and uncertainties encountered during technology development and deployment. Through various role-model initiatives, the session provided inspiration and practical guidance for other end-users on transitioning to heat pump-based process heating.

Refrigerants - Which is the safer choice? This debate addressed the ongoing discussion within the heat pump industry regarding the use of natural versus synthetic refrigerants. Key representatives presented their viewpoints on the economic, safety, and environmental impacts of each option. The session aimed to clarify the pros and cons of both refrigerant types based on scientific facts, helping stakeholders make informed decisions.

Showcasing innovation: Exhibitors at HTHP Symposium 2024

The HTHP Symposium 2024 proudly hosted a diverse range of exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in high-temperature heat pump technology and industrial decarbonization solutions. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with leading companies and organizations from around the world, each presenting cutting-edge innovations, products, and services designed to drive the future of sustainable energy. The exhibition areas were a hub of knowledge exchange, networking, and inspiration, providing invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of high-temperature heat pumps and their applications.

For more details, visit our Exhibitors Page.

Exclusive site visits: Exploring innovative installations

As part of the symposium, six site visits were organized to sites with various systems (not necessarily HTHP systems). The six different sites were:

• Steam compressor test rig at Weel & Sandvig - a test rig for a two-stage steam compression system based on turbo-compressors.
  
  
• 1 MW heat pump at Slagslunde Fjernvarme (in Danish only) - the ammonia heat pump produces heat from 45 to 72 °C and cools glycol which absorbs heat from the outside air. The heat pump defrosts with heat from the return water. The heat pump supplies heat to approx. 200 consumers. 

• Bispebjerg Hospital, the largest ATES plant in Denmark - the total efficiency of the system is 9 MW, and it consists of three two-stage ammonia heat pumps. THe ATES-system stores cooling and heat in the underground and covers the entire cooling needs of the hospital, e.g., scanners and ventilation systems, and more than half of the heating needs.
  
  
• Tårnby Forsyning - the new energy central at Tårnby Forsyning (in Danish only) is an innovative heat pump system combining heating and cooling with wastewater and groundwater. The system has won the EHPA prize for the heat pump project of the year in 2022 in the category 'Decarbindustry'.

• Eight Thermax absorption heat pumps at Amager Bakke - a public utility company, also known for its ski slopes on the roof. The eight heat pumps have a total capacity of 32 MW which are installed to increase the efficiency of the plant even more.

• Høje Taastrup District Heating (in Danish only) and VEKS have build and own a heat pit storage together. The storage is a pit hole excavated in the gound lined with a plastic membrane and isolated lid top. The purpose of the heat storage pit is to store the district heating when it is cheap to produce, and distribute from the storage when it is expensive to produce. The storage contains 70,000 m³ hot water and has a charging and discharging of 30 MW. 

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