Using Industrial Waste Heat in District Heating: Insights on Effective Project Initiation and Business Models

Abstract

The recovery of industrial waste heat and its reuse in district heating networks can be economical for both the industry and the district heating operator. While the potential for external use of industrial waste heat remains significant, there are already many implemented practical examples. This paper describes an Austria-wide survey of industrial companies that supply waste heat to district heating networks in order to assess the (i) initiation and implementation, (ii) business model design, and (iii) risks and uncertainties associated with external waste heat cooperation. Based on the survey results, good personal relationships are essential, and local politicians can be crucial for initiation. Major changes in the industrial supplier or district heating company are triggers for contact and implementation. For negotiations to be successful, the partners must feel they are being treated fairly, which requires a high degree of transparency. The most commonly used business model is the use of clear interfaces, i.e., a point that separates investment, billing, and responsibility. Billing is usually per kWh, possibly supplemented by other contractual arrangements such as take-or-pay. The lower the industry’s share of the joint investment, the less it receives for the waste heat. Conversely, the more guarantees and risks the industry takes on, the higher the price per kWh.

Mapping Local Synergies: Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Switzerland’s Waste Heat Potentials vs. Heat Demand

“…It also should be noted that mutual trust between waste heat suppliers and consumers is a prerequisite for any successful waste heat cooperation initiative. A survey conducted among industrial waste heat suppliers and district heating operators in Austria revealed that trust, transparency, and clarity play a central role in the success of waste heat utilization projects [10]. The study also concluded that good understanding, regular exchange, and a certain level of trust will promote such relationships.…”

Self-assembled monolayers for electrostatic electrocatalysis and enhanced electrode stability in thermogalvanic cells

“…This is significant because, whereas previous attempts to use gold nanomaterials to enhance electrocatalysis has also decreased stability (due to the increased reactivity of the nanostructured gold), this study demonstrates how appropriately electrostatically charged SAMs can lower the apparent electron transfer resistance and simultaneously improve long-term stability. This is critical when considering most industrial waste heat applications have commercial payback periods of 3 to 15 years, 44 demonstrating the time frames thermocell devices should continuously operate for (and ideally exceed).…”

Identification of Industrial Heat Source Production Areas Based on SDGSAT-1 Thermal Infrared Imager

“…Many studies have examined the industrial waste heat potential from the perspectives of energy efficiency and policy [10,11]. Some have concentrated on national-or regionallevel heat emissions [12,13] via inventory-based methods, energy balance residuals, the construction of energy models [14], multi-methods [15], and statistical regression methods [13,16,17].…”