DANFOSS A/S

Their core work

Danfoss is a major Danish industrial manufacturer specializing in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems, as well as district energy solutions. In H2020 projects, they contribute commercial-grade hardware expertise — particularly integrated cooling/heating packages, ejector-supported compression units, and components for district heating and cooling networks. They bring real-world product engineering and deployment experience to consortia focused on energy-efficient buildings, smart cities, and climate-positive communities.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), Danfoss engaged in digital infrastructure, smart city pilots, and cyber-physical maintenance systems — exploring how their hardware fits into connected urban environments. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward district heating and cooling, waste heat recovery, sector coupling, and climate-positive communities. This evolution reflects a move from broad smart-city participation toward deep specialization in thermal energy systems for decarbonised districts.

Danfoss is deepening its role in district-scale thermal energy systems and circular economy approaches, making them a strong partner for future projects on urban decarbonisation and heat network modernisation.

How they like to work

Danfoss participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with a large industrial company contributing product expertise and deployment capacity rather than managing research agendas. With 167 unique partners across 21 countries, they operate in large, diverse consortia typical of Innovation Actions. This broad network suggests they are easy to integrate into new consortia and valued for the industrial credibility and hardware they bring to demonstration projects.

Danfoss has collaborated with 167 unique partners across 21 countries, forming a wide European network. Their partnerships span research institutions, municipalities, and technology providers across the EU, with no narrow geographic clustering.

What sets them apart

Danfoss brings something most academic or SME partners cannot: industrial-scale manufacturing and decades of market presence in heating, cooling, and refrigeration. They can take a consortium's prototype concepts and validate them against real commercial product lines and supply chains. For any project needing an industry partner that can credibly demonstrate and eventually commercialise thermal energy technologies, Danfoss is a proven choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• REWARDHeat
  Largest EC contribution (EUR 353,798) and directly aligned with Danfoss core business — renewable and waste heat recovery for district heating/cooling networks.
• MultiPACK
  Focused demonstration of next-generation integrated HVAC&R units with ejector compression — the most technically specific project in their portfolio.
• ARV
  Most recent project (2022–2026), extending into climate-positive circular communities — signals Danfoss's forward direction toward zero-emission urban districts.