Participating Countries - Austria

Austria has set itself the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and becoming climate neutral by 2040. High-temperature heat pumps are a technology that can make a significant contribution to achieving these goals. In the IEA HPT Annex 68, Austria is represented by two partners.

The Center for Energy of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) coordinates the national team and drives research and innovation for a sustainable energy future. The topic portfolio is based on three central systems: Public Energy Supply Systems, Industrial Energy Systems and Cities & Built Environment. With up to 300 experts from 25 countries, the Center for Energy combines decentralized energy producers, efficient distribution networks, and smart buildings using advanced measurement technology and innovative simulation tools to create a sustainable energy system. AIT has been operating an accredited heat pump laboratory for more than 20 years and has profound experience in research, testing and quality assurance of heat pump systems. The heat pump know-how relates to compression and absorption heat pumps alike, and includes individual components such as heat exchangers, refrigerants, etc. as well as the heat pump system as a whole and its integration into buildings, industrial processes as well as district heating systems.

The Institute of Thermal Engineering at TU Graz (IWT – Institut für Wärmetechnik) is also part of the national team. IWT belongs to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Graz University of Technology. The institute currently employs a staff of ca. 40 people and covers the research areas “Thermal Energy Systems”, “Sustainable, Clean and Bioenergy Systems”, “Energy-efficient Buildings”, and “Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning”. TU Graz – IWT has long-term experience in heat pumping technologies (compression and absorption heat pumps). The institute has been and is active in several inter-/national R&D projects related to simulation and experimental investigations of heat pumping systems.

Relevant ongoing or finalized R&D projects of the national team partners:

• Participation in the IEA HPT Annex 58 about High-Temperature Heat Pumps, 2021–2024, Project partners: AIT, IWT
  https://nachhaltigwirtschaften.at/de/iea/technologieprogramme/hpp/iea-hpt-annex-58.php
• Participation in the IEA HPT Annex 48 about Industrial Heat Pumps, 2016–2019, Project partners: AIT, IWT
  https://nachhaltigwirtschaften.at/de/iea/technologieprogramme/hpp/iea-hpt-annex-48.php
• AHEAD – Advanced Heat Pump Demonstrator, 2022–2026, Project partners: AIT, SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH, Takeda Manufacturing Austria AG
  https://www.nefi.at/en/project/ahead
• Bamboo – Boosting new approaches for flexibility management by optimizing process off-gas and waste use, 2018–2022, Project partners: Fundacion CIRCE Centro de Investigacion de Recursos y consumos energeticos, TU Braunschweig, AIT, IKERLAN S Coop, CERTH (Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis), Energieinstitut an der JKU, N-SIDE, Turboden, AMT Kältetechnik, RINA Consulting, COSMO TECH, ARCELORMITTAL Innovacion Investigacion e Inversion, TUPRAS Turkiye Petrol Rafinerileri Anonim Sirketi, Grecian Magnesite Mining, Industrial Shipping and Commercial, UPM, SIDENOR ACEROS ESPECIALES, MAGNESITAS NAVARRAS, Fondazione ICONS
  http://bambooproject.eu/
• CONAN – Clever and resilient rOtatioN heAt pump control, 2024–2027, Project partners: ECOP Technologies GmbH, AIT
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/4875794
• DEEP – Decarbonized Energy Efficient Paper Production, 2025–2027, Project partners: Laakirchen Papier AG, AIT, Heinzel Steyrermühl GmbH
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/5135355
• ENOUGH – European food chain supply to reduce GHG-emissions by 2050, 2022–2024, Project partners: Ennstal Milch, SINTEF Ocean, London South Bank University, University of Birmingham, NTNU, INRAE, KU Leuven, IIF-IIR, CNR-ITC, ANIA, EFFoST, IWT, Vlaams Centrum voor Bewaring van Tuinbouwproducten (Flanders Centre of Postharvest Technology), Vytautas Magnus University, Silesian University of Technology, Universita Politecnica delle marche, University of Goettingen, FrostX, ENEX S.r.L., EQUANS, Eletica S.r.L., Campden BRI Magyarorszag, EPTA S.p.a, Arcelik, Rørosmeieriet, Optiflux NV, City Facilities Management Limited, Yeo Valley, MMC First Process, Star Refrigeration
  https://enough-emissions.eu/
• DryFiciency – Waste Heat Recovery in Industrial Processes, 2016–2021, Project partners: AIT, Agrana Stärke GmbH, Wienerberger AG, RTDS GmbH, Rotrex A/S, Bitzer Kühlmaschinen GmbH, Chemours Deutschland GmbH, Fuchs Europe Schmierstoffe GmbH, Heaten AS, SINTEF, EPCON Evaporation Technology AS, EHPA European Heat Pump Association, Scanship AS
  https://dryficiency.eu/
• ETHP – Ejector technologies for heat pumps, 2022–2024, Project partners: AIT, Ochsner Wärmepumpen GmbH, Ochsner Energietechnik GmbH
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/4174819
• HIPI – High Temperature Heat Pump for Industry, 2025–2027, Project partners: INNIO Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG, AIT
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/5135366
• HotCycle – Refrigerant and circuit design for small to medium capacity high temperature heat pumps with separating hood compressor, 2015–2018, Project partners: IWT, Frigopol Kälteanlagen GmbH
  https://online.tugraz.at/tug_online/fdb_detail.ansicht?cvfanr=F35574&cvorgnr=37&sprache=1
• Industry4Redispatch, 2021–2025, Project partners: AIT, Ankerbrot GmbH, APG Austrian Power Grid, Energie Kompass GmbH, Energienetze Steiermark GmbH, EVN AG, evon GmbH, kleinkraft OG, Mondi AG, Netz Burgenland GmbH, Netz Niederösterreich GmbH, Netz Oberösterreich GmbH, Siemens AG, TU Wien, voestalpine Stahl GmbH, Wiesbauer Holding AG
  https://www.nefi.at/en/project/industry4redispatch
• LEAP – Low Pressure Steam Heat Pump, 2021–2024, Project partners: AIT, Business Upper Austria – OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH, Lenzing AG, Austrotherm GmbH
  https://www.nefi.at/en/leap/
• NERO – NExt geneRatiOn turbo compressor heat pump, 2021–2023, Project partners: AIT, TU Wien
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/4174832
• ROHAN – Overall optimization of the control system for a rotary heat pump using Digital Twins – RotatiOn Heat digitAl twiN, 2020–2023, Project partners: ECOP Technologies GmbH, AIT
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/3862078
• SteamDry – Superheated steam drying for sustainable and recyclable web-like materials, 2024–2027, Project partners: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, AIT, VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH, Stichting Wageningen Research, Valmet Technologies Oy, Metsä Spring Oy, University of Twente, University of Santiago de Compostela, Ahlstrom Oyj, Sofidel S.p.A, Piller Blowers & Compressors GmbH, Sappi Benelux, Fundación Empresa-Universidad Gallega (FEUGA), Smurfit Kappa Paper Services B.V.
  https://steamdry.eu/
• TransCrit – Trans-critical high-temperature heat pump for waste heat recovery, 2018–2021, Project partners: IWT, Frigopol Kälteanlagen GmbH
  https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/2929298
• White Paper: Strengthening Industrial Heat Pump Innovation – Decarbonizing Industrial Heat, 2020, Involved partners: TNO, AIT, SINTEF, DTU, DTI, University of Valencia, RISE, OST
  https://publications.ait.ac.at/en/publications/strengthening-industrial-heat-pump-innovation-decarbonizing-indus-5