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INSHIP · Project

Solar Steam Systems That Cut Industrial Fuel Bills Using Free Sunlight

energyPrototypeTRL 5Thin data (2/5)
inship.psa.es

Factories need a lot of heat — for cooking, drying, sterilizing, you name it — and almost all of it comes from burning gas or oil. INSHIP brought together 29 research centers across Europe to figure out how to replace that fossil fuel heat with solar thermal energy, especially for medium and high-temperature processes like generating steam. They built and tested real solar steam setups that can plug into existing factory heat systems, and mapped out how solar heat networks could serve entire industrial parks. Think of it as turning factory rooftops and nearby land into free fuel stations for industrial heat.

By the numbers
0.3%
Current share of solar heat in total installed solar thermal capacity
29
Research partners in the consortium
12
Countries represented in the consortium
33
Total project deliverables produced
TRL 2-5
Technology readiness levels targeted by the project
The business problem

What needed solving

European manufacturers spend billions on fossil fuels to generate process heat — steam, hot water, and thermal energy for everything from food processing to chemical production. Solar thermal technology could dramatically cut those costs, but today it accounts for only 0.3% of installed solar thermal capacity because integration with existing factory systems has been too complex and limited to low-temperature applications.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 33 outputs including an experimental demonstration of cost-effective solar steam integration layouts — both stand-alone systems and fully integrated configurations that connect with existing factory heat networks. They also developed solar concentrating technologies aimed at pushing beyond the low-temperature barrier into medium and high-temperature industrial ranges.

Audience

Who needs this

Food and beverage processors with high steam demand (dairies, breweries, canneries)Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers using process heat below 400°CIndustrial park operators looking to offer shared solar heat infrastructureTextile manufacturers with continuous dyeing and drying heat requirementsPaper and pulp mills seeking to decarbonize their thermal energy supply
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Food & Beverage Processing
mid-size
Target: Dairy, brewery, or canning plant with high steam demand

If you are a food processor spending heavily on natural gas for pasteurization, sterilization, or cleaning — this project demonstrated cost-effective solar steam integration layouts that can work as stand-alone systems or fully integrated into your existing heat network. With solar heat for industrial processes currently at just 0.3% of installed solar thermal capacity, early adopters have a genuine competitive edge on energy costs.

Chemical Manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Specialty chemicals or pharmaceutical manufacturer needing process heat below 400°C

If you are a chemical manufacturer dealing with volatile gas prices for your heating processes — INSHIP developed solar concentrating technologies specifically designed to push beyond low-temperature limits into medium and high-temperature industrial ranges. The project's 29-partner research network produced 33 deliverables covering integration methods that minimize interference with your existing heat production and distribution systems.

Industrial Park Management
enterprise
Target: Operator or developer of multi-tenant industrial zones

If you manage an industrial park and want to reduce shared energy costs — INSHIP explored centralized solar heat distribution networks that serve multiple tenants from a single installation. Their research covers how these networks connect with district heating and even feed surplus into the electricity grid, turning your park's energy infrastructure into a revenue opportunity rather than just a cost center.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would solar industrial heat actually cost compared to gas?

The project focused on demonstrating 'cost-effective' solar steam integration layouts, but specific cost-per-kWh figures are not published in the available data. The economic case depends heavily on your location, solar irradiance, and current gas prices. A site-specific feasibility study would be needed.

Can this work at full industrial scale, not just lab demos?

INSHIP operated at TRL 2-5, meaning the technologies moved from validated concepts through to demonstrated prototypes. They delivered an experimental demonstration of solar steam integration layouts for both stand-alone and fully integrated system concepts. Full commercial-scale deployment would require additional engineering and scaling.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The project was a Research and Innovation Action coordinated by Fraunhofer, one of Europe's largest applied research organizations. IP from RIA projects is typically owned by the partners who generated it. Licensing inquiries should be directed to Fraunhofer or the specific partner whose technology is relevant to your application.

Does this only work in sunny southern Europe?

While higher solar irradiance improves economics, the consortium included partners from 12 countries spanning northern and southern Europe — including Germany, Belgium, and the UK. The research addressed integration approaches that account for varying solar conditions, though best returns will be in regions with strong direct solar radiation.

How does this fit into existing factory heating systems?

This was a core focus. The demo deliverable specifically addressed integration layouts that work both as stand-alone solar steam production and as fully integrated additions to existing heat production systems and distribution networks. The goal was to minimize disruption to running operations.

Is this compliant with EU energy and emissions regulations?

Solar process heat directly supports EU decarbonization targets and the European Green Deal. While the project itself did not produce regulatory certification, adopting solar heat reduces Scope 1 emissions, which is increasingly relevant for carbon reporting requirements and emissions trading compliance.

What is the timeline to implement solar process heat?

Based on available project data, the technologies reached TRL 2-5 by project end in 2020. Moving from demonstrated prototype to a commissioned installation at your site would typically require 12-24 months of engineering, procurement, and construction, depending on scale and complexity.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavyweight research consortium with 29 partners across 12 European countries, coordinated by Fraunhofer — Germany's largest applied research organization. The consortium is heavily research-oriented: 18 research institutes and 10 universities, with zero industrial partners and only 1 SME. This composition is typical for a coordination action aimed at aligning national research agendas rather than bringing a product to market. For a business looking to adopt solar process heat, the good news is that Europe's top solar thermal research labs are behind this work; the caution is that there was no direct industry pull shaping the outputs, so additional adaptation work would likely be needed to fit specific factory requirements.

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer Institute (Germany) — Europe's leading applied research organization. Reachable through their solar energy division.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore whether solar process heat makes sense for your factory? SciTransfer can connect you with the right research team from this 29-partner network and help you scope a feasibility assessment.

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