Remscheid, Jülich and Brussels, 04 – 10 June 2023
Industrial heat makes up two-thirds of industrial energy demand and almost 20% of global energy consumption. Thus, sustainable and clean heat generation and storage are key in order to decarbonize industries. While electricity generation from solar panels is well-established all around the world, there is still an untapped opportunity
for heat generation powered by renewables. Sustainable heat generation through Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) can be a huge opportunity to not only decarbonize industries but also to save costs. Use cases range from low-temperature steam generation from parabolic trough systems up to high-temperature generation through heliostat power plants or emerging technologies such as plasma solution. In combination with The Arc Cleantech Innovation Festival, this Delegate Programme allowed the participants to dive into the practical application of heat production for industry.
The Programme was organized in line with UNIDO’s priority on limiting climate breakdown by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Highlights were the visits to Soliterm Group GmbH, the Solar Institute of Aachen University of Applied Sciences and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Jülich, the leading research institute in the field of large-scale
concentrated solar applications, and CHEMPARK in Leverkusen, a large integrated chemical park. Additional meetings included a visit to the Avery Dennison plant in Belgium. To shift their heat production from natural gas to Concentrated Solar
Power, the material science and manufacturing company installed a new System at their production plant. Operated by Azteq, a company specialized in the development, installation, operation, maintenance, and financing of complex thermal energy platforms, the site is one of the largest installations of parabolic mirrors in an industrial
setting in Europe. In Brussels, the delegation met Solar Heat Europe (ESTIF) to explore the challenges and opportunities surrounding industry decarbonization. During these visits, the delegates had the opportunity to connect with stakeholders and to learn about the latest innovations in the sector as well as to see running solar heat plants in action. Participants of the delegation came from India, Tunisia and Egypt. They were joined by Gihan Bayoumi, National Programme Officer for Energy Systems at UNIDO Egypt, and Sanjaya Shresta, Industrial Development Officer, Energy Systems and Decarbonization Unit at UNIDO Headquarters.
The ARC Cleantech Festival
The ARC Cleantech Innovation Festival, hosted by Future Cleantech Architects and co-organized by ITPO Germany, zoomed in on the hard-to-abate industry sectors of cement, aviation, and long duration energy storage to remove roadblocks and bridge the innovation gaps to reach net zero by 2050. More than 250 participants from over 25 countries attended around 30 events at 6 venues across the industrial city of Remscheid. Building on the successful partnership with FCA, ITPO Germany co-hosted the festival together with UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) & EIT Inno Energy and organized two panels. The results and key takeaways were presented in December 2023 at COP28 in Dubai. ITPO Germany’s Deputy Head Vanessa Voelkel and FCA’s Founder & CEO Peter Schniering moderated the opening panel Driving Cleantech
Innovation Effectively with Klaus Wiener (Member of the German Parliament), Johanna Schiele (EU Innovation Fund) and Thore Lohmann (thyssenkrupp Uhde).
UNIDO ITPO Germany furthermore organized a panel discussion on Decarbonizing Industrial Heat where ITPO Germany’s Deputy Head Michael Schmidt discussed the latest innovations and practical applications with experts and industry representatives from Europe, Africa and Asia. As part of the ITPO Germany’s Delegate Programme, the above-mentioned delegates joined the debate to present, discuss and identify specific steps to reach net zero. A specific focus of the session with UNIDO lay on improving energy efficiency by using renewable energy sources for generating industrial process heat.
