GUIDELINES FOR AN INTEGRATED ENERGY STRATEGY

• Electrifying low- to medium temperature heating;
• Meeting cooling demand through solar cooling systems;
• Adopting low-carbon solutions such as bioenergy, waste and solar thermal for heating;
• Integrating low-carbon heating and cooling solutions through district networks;
• Using electrofuels as a solution in the medium to long term.

In addition, adopting circular industrial processes can also reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling. Where no viable low-carbon alternative exists, companies could explore carbon capture and use or storage technologies.

Examples of how a company can take an integrated approach to sourcing low-carbon heating and cooling solutions in industry

• Industrial networks, clusters and hubs
  These enable easier recovery, transportation and use of waste materials and outputs for heating and cooling purposes. For example, collaborating with local partners to develop low or zero-carbon heat networks with waste heat recovery, using heat sources such as water, steam and gases from industrial processes or refrigeration systems. Industrial clusters could also undertake joint investment in carbon capture and storage facilities for emissions associated with industrial processes that can currently not be decarbonized.
• Digital resource management platforms
  These platforms can provide information on the availability of industrial by-products and waste that companies can use as feedstock or as an energy source for heat.
• Collaborating with suppliers and customers to source bioenergy feedstocks
  Identifying feedstocks in the value chain, such as cooking oil, food waste or waste wood, can help to make bioenergy for heating use more cost-effective and improve security of supply. Working with suppliers or customers will enable those companies to capture the value of waste outputs and monetize it, leading to an improved business case and hence security of supply.
• Collaborating to invest in electrofuels
  The production of electrofuels, for example green hydrogen, would accelerate if companies along its value chain collaborate to identify local demand and potential funding sources. Working with suppliers, customers and other interested companies can help to limit risk and upfront investment.

The benefits of collaborating to source low-carbon heating and cooling solutions in industry

Driving innovation

Collaboration with technology partners, suppliers and other end-users will foster innovation, and support the development of new technologies, use cases and financing mechanisms, thus enabling low-carbon and low-cost alternatives currently unavailable in the market.