TASIO · Project

Turn Factory Waste Heat Into Electricity With Plug-In Recovery Systems

energyPilotedTRL 7

tasio-h2020.eu

Factories like cement plants, steel mills, and glass makers blast enormous amounts of hot exhaust straight into the sky — essentially burning money. TASIO built a system that captures that escaping heat and converts it into electricity or compressed air the factory can use itself. Think of it like a turbocharger for your car engine, except instead of exhaust gases boosting horsepower, flue gases spin a turbine that generates power. They tested the full system at an Italian cement plant and built a new generation turbogenerator specifically designed for harsh industrial exhaust.

By the numbers

Energy intensive sectors addressed (cement, glass, steel, petrochemical)

Consortium partners

Countries involved (ES, HU, IT, RO)

80%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

Industrial partners in consortium

Total project deliverables

New generation ORC turbogenerator manufactured

The business problem

What needed solving

Energy intensive industries like cement, steel, glass, and petrochemical plants lose massive amounts of thermal energy through their exhaust gases — heat that literally goes up the chimney. This wasted energy drives up production costs and carbon footprints simultaneously. Existing heat recovery options often cannot handle the corrosive, dirty flue gases these industries produce, leaving billions in potential energy savings on the table.

The solution

What was built

The project manufactured a new generation ORC turbogenerator and fully demonstrated a waste heat recovery system for electricity generation at an operating cement plant. They also developed a direct heat exchanger with new anticorrosive materials for surviving harsh flue gas contact, plus an integrated monitoring and control system for industrial deployment.

Audience

Who needs this

Cement plant operators looking to cut electricity costs by recovering kiln waste heatSteel mills and foundries with high-temperature furnace exhaust going to wasteGlass manufacturers seeking energy efficiency improvements in melting operationsPetrochemical plants running energy-hungry compressors that could be powered by recovered heatIndustrial energy service companies (ESCOs) offering turnkey efficiency upgrades

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Cement manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Cement plant operators with multiple kilns

If you are a cement manufacturer watching energy costs eat into your margins — this project developed and fully demonstrated a waste heat recovery system at CEMENTI ROSSI, an actual cement plant. The system captures heat from kiln flue gases and converts it to electricity using ORC technology, with a new corrosion-resistant heat exchanger designed specifically for the harsh dust and chemistry of cement exhaust. The consortium covered 4 industrial sectors so the designs are adaptable beyond cement.

Steel production

enterprise

Target: Steel mills and foundries with high-temperature processes

If you are a steelmaker losing thermal energy through furnace exhaust — this project developed a direct heat exchanger with new anticorrosive materials built to survive contact with aggressive industrial flue gases. The ORC-based system was designed to work across 4 energy intensive sectors including steel, converting waste heat directly to electric power for internal use. With 8 industrial partners in the consortium, the technology was shaped by real operational requirements.

Petrochemical processing

enterprise

Target: Refineries and chemical plants with continuous thermal processes

If you are a petrochemical operator running compressors around the clock — this project developed and semi-validated a waste heat recovery system that converts flue gas heat directly into mechanical energy to power air compressors, cutting your electricity bill for one of the biggest energy consumers in any plant. The system includes an integrated monitoring and control system designed for continuous industrial operation across 4 sectors including petrochemical.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a system like this cost to install?

The project data does not include specific cost figures or ROI calculations. However, ORC waste heat recovery systems typically pay for themselves through reduced electricity purchases. Contact the coordinator through SciTransfer for budgetary estimates based on your plant's heat profile.

Can this work at full industrial scale?

Yes — the project completed a full demonstration of the electrical energy generation system at CEMENTI ROSSI, an operating cement plant. A second configuration for powering air compressors was semi-validated at pilot scale. The technology was designed from the start for 4 industrial sectors: cement, glass, steel, and petrochemical.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The consortium of 10 partners across 4 countries developed the technology, with FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION coordinating. Key IP likely includes the direct heat exchanger design and anticorrosive materials. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium through proper channels.

How does this differ from existing ORC systems on the market?

TASIO developed a multisectorial direct heat exchanger that transfers heat straight from flue gases to the organic fluid, eliminating an intermediate thermal oil loop. They also created new heat-conducting and anticorrosive materials specifically for surviving contact with aggressive industrial exhaust gases. A new generation ORC turbogenerator was manufactured as a demonstrated deliverable.

What industries has this actually been tested in?

The system was fully demonstrated for electricity generation at an operating cement plant (CEMENTI ROSSI in Italy). A mechanical energy configuration for compressors was semi-validated at pilot scale. The consortium included partners from cement, steel, glass, and petrochemical sectors across 4 countries.

Does this meet current energy efficiency regulations?

The project addressed EU energy efficiency targets under topic EE-18-2014 (Energy Efficiency in Industry). The waste heat recovery approach directly supports compliance with industrial energy audit requirements and efficiency mandates. Specific regulatory certifications would depend on your jurisdiction and installation.

Can this be retrofitted to existing plants or only new builds?

Based on available project data, the system was designed for integration with existing industrial processes — the demonstration at CEMENTI ROSSI was at an operating cement plant, not a new facility. The integrated monitoring and control system was specifically designed for the addressed industrial sectors.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium with 8 out of 10 partners from industry (80% ratio), which is unusually high for an EU research project and signals strong commercial intent. The consortium spans 4 countries — Spain, Hungary, Italy, and Romania — with FUNDACION TECNALIA (a major Spanish research and technology organization) coordinating. Having actual end-users from cement, steel, glass, and petrochemical sectors as partners means the technology was shaped by real plant operators, not just lab researchers. The inclusion of CEMENTI ROSSI as both a partner and demonstration site adds credibility — this was tested where it matters, on a real factory floor.

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONCoordinator · ES
TURBODEN SPAparticipant · IT
RINA CONSULTING SPAparticipant · IT
INDUSTRIA CEMENTI GIOVANNI ROSSI SPAparticipant · IT
GEONARDO KORNYEZETVEDELMI TERINFORMATIKAI ES REGIONALIS PROJEKTFEJLESZTO KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAGparticipant · HU
SIDENOR ACEROS ESPECIALES SLparticipant · ES
SIDENOR INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLOSAthirdparty · ES
RINA CONSULTING - CENTRO SVILUPPO MATERIALI SPAparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION (Spain) — contact through SciTransfer for warm introduction to the project team

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the TASIO waste heat recovery system for your plant? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the technology developers and help structure the conversation around your specific industrial process and heat profile.

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