Sweden is participating in Project 68 under the IEA Heat Pumping Technologies TCP, demonstrating a strong national commitment to advancing high-temperature heat pump solutions for energy-intensive industrial applications. Sweden’s involvement is anchored in a nationally funded flagship project that combines advanced research with full-scale industrial implementation.
The Swedish contribution to Project 68 is jointly led by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, which serve as national project leaders. Together, RISE and KTH coordinate research activities, system analysis, and knowledge dissemination, ensuring that Sweden’s results contribute effectively to the international objectives of Project 68.
At the core of the Swedish national project is one of the most innovative industrial energy initiatives launched in Sweden to date, with a total investment of 196 million SEK. The project involves the installation of a mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) heat pump in one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes, gypsum board drying. This pioneering solution is expected to reduce both energy consumption and CO₂ emissions by up to 50 percent, directly supporting Sweden’s national goals for energy efficiency, industrial competitiveness, and climate mitigation.
What sets this project apart is the use of patented MVR heat pump technology capable of reaching temperatures up to 210 °C, with a temperature lift of 160 °C and a thermal capacity of 10.5 MWth. To current knowledge, this will be the first installation of its kind in Sweden, representing a significant step forward in the practical deployment of high-temperature heat pumps for demanding industrial applications.
The Swedish consortium brings together strong academic, research, and industrial expertise. RISE is represented by Bassam Badran and Metkel Yebiyo, contributing system integration, performance assessment, and knowledge dissemination. KTH contributes academic leadership through Samer Sawalha, Monika Ignatowicz, and Rahmatollah Khodabandeh, focusing on thermodynamic analysis, heat pump design, and scientific evaluation. Industrial partners Gyptech AB and Knauf Sweden play a central role in technology implementation, process integration, and validation under real operating conditions.
Within Project 68, Sweden’s national project aligns closely with the overall objective of accelerating the adoption of high-temperature heat pumps in industry. By delivering real-world performance data, operational experience, and system design insights, the Swedish project will contribute valuable evidence to support decision-making in other participating countries. The results are expected to help identify best practices, technical challenges, and replicable solutions for industrial sectors with high thermal demand.
International collaboration and knowledge exchange are central aims of the IEA Heat Pumping Technologies TCP, and Sweden’s participation in Project 68 reflects this shared commitment. By exchanging experiences and lessons learned with other countries, the Swedish project will help strengthen collective understanding and accelerate progress toward more energy-efficient and low-carbon industrial systems worldwide.
More information about Project 68 is available at:
https://heatpumpingtechnologies.org/project68/
Through this nationally coordinated effort, Sweden contributes practical insights and demonstrated solutions that support the broader goals of Project 68, reinforcing the value of international collaboration in advancing energy efficiency and industrial decarbonisation.