The global industrial landscape, particularly high temperature processing sectors like cement, steel and glass, is grappling with a colossal energy efficiency problem. Alarmingly, over 50% of the energy consumed in these processes is lost as waste heat, equating to approximately 400TWh of power annually – nearly one-seventh of Europe’s total electrical power demand.
This substantial energy wastage presents a critical challenge for decarbonisation efforts and highlights a massive, untapped resource.
The INFERNO project, a Horizon Europe initiative, is aimed to develop a groundbreaking solid state system that will significantly contribute to sustainable energy harvesting from this colossal pool of industrial waste heat.
A hybrid high efficiency solution
While technologies exist to convert waste heat into electricity, their industry-scale adoption has been hindered by issues related to efficiency and cost. INFERNO tackles these specific barriers by developing a novel modular, hybrid platform system based on the integration of solid state devices.
The core innovation lies in combining two distinct solid state conversion technologies:
- Thermophotovoltaics: This involves the direct conversion of radiant power (heat) into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. The project is focused on developing infrared sensitive low bandgap thermophotovoltaic cells and integrating them with photonic metamaterials for optimised thermal radiation capture.
- Thermoelectrics: This method converts a temperature gradient directly into electricity using the Seebeck effect. INFERNO targets high performance thermoelectric generator devices made of earth abundant materials.
This unique thermophotovoltaic – metasurface collector – thermoelectric hybrid system is the first of its kind to be tested in real industrial settings. The thermophotovoltaic and thermoelectric modules, combined with a unique nanostructured metasurface-based collector and reflector technology, are designed to generate ~15kW/m² electricity with an overall efficiency of ~25% at operational temperatures between 400 and 800°C.
This targeted efficiency represents an improvement of at least 25% over current state-of-the-art systems. A primary advantage of the new system is its modularity and solid state design, meaning it operates without any major moving parts, making it easy and cost-effective to retrofit into existing production lines.
Confronting high temperature challenges
High temperature manufacturing industries often operate furnaces above 1,000°C. While this presents a challenge, INFERNO focuses on recovering waste heat from downstream processes, such as cooling grates, furnace walls and flue gases, where temperatures fall below 800°C.
These lower temperature streams still offer significant recovery potential, addressing the need for technology capable of operating in these volatile environments. By targeting this temperature range, the INFERNO system is positioned to capture a greater share of the burgeoning waste heat recovery market.
Laying the foundation for sustainable industrial energy
The INFERNO project is not just a technological development; it represents a strategic, solid state approach to tackling one of Europe’s most significant energy efficiency challenges. By targeting the massive 400TWh of industrial waste heat – a resource largely ignored by conventional systems – INFERNO aims to fundamentally change how high temperature industries manage their energy.
Through the collaborative expertise of its six European partners, Dr Kafil M. Razeeb from Tyndall National Institute (University College Cork, IE) is leading the project in collaboration with Technological University Dublin (IE), Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (DE), IFW Dresden (DE), Université de Technologie de Troyes (FR) and F6S Innovation (IE). The project will conduct the crucial industrial validation via three pilot demonstrations.
The INFERNO programme will lay the foundation for a novel, commercially viable and easily integrated energy harvesting system. This innovation will empower hard-to-decarbonise industries to simultaneously improve their bottom line and significantly reduce their environmental footprint, accelerating Europe’s transition toward a more sustainable and energy efficient industrial future.
