Large amounts of energy generated by industrial processes across Europe are still lost as waste heat, representing both an environmental challenge and a major untapped efficiency opportunity. Energy-intensive industries often struggle to identify, evaluate and implement practical heat recovery solutions due to technical complexity, fragmented knowledge and uncertain investment conditions. ERER addresses this challenge by supporting the wider adoption of industrial waste heat recovery and energy efficiency solutions across Europe’s industrial sectors.
Rather than developing a single standalone technology, ERER focused on helping industries better understand, assess and implement existing recovery solutions that can reduce energy consumption, lower emissions and improve industrial competitiveness.
What is ERER about?
ERER focused on accelerating the deployment of industrial waste heat recovery and energy efficiency practices within energy-intensive industries.
The project worked to identify barriers that prevent industries from adopting recovery technologies and developed practical approaches to help companies evaluate the feasibility and benefits of implementing energy recovery measures. Particular attention was given to industrial sectors where significant amounts of recoverable energy remain unused despite strong technical potential.
A key aspect of ERER was its emphasis on stakeholder engagement and practical implementation support. The project recognised that industrial energy transition is not driven by technology alone, but also by financial, organisational and operational factors that influence investment decisions.
To address this, ERER combined technical analysis with real industrial case studies, workshops and collaborative exchange activities involving industries, experts and policymakers. These activities helped companies better understand available technologies, financing conditions and implementation pathways for waste heat recovery solutions.
The project also contributed to knowledge sharing and awareness raising across Europe’s industrial community. Conferences, dissemination activities and industry engagement initiatives supported the exchange of practical experience and best practices linked to industrial energy efficiency and low-carbon industrial transition strategies.
By focusing on implementation readiness rather than purely technological development, ERER helped create stronger foundations for wider deployment of industrial waste heat recovery solutions across Europe.
Why ERER matters
Industrial waste heat represents one of the largest untapped energy efficiency opportunities within Europe’s industrial sector. Recovering and reusing this energy can significantly reduce fuel consumption, emissions and operational costs while improving industrial sustainability and resilience.
ERER contributed to accelerating this transition by helping industries overcome practical barriers linked to awareness, implementation and investment readiness. Through stakeholder collaboration and practical support activities, the project promoted greater uptake of energy recovery solutions capable of delivering immediate environmental and economic benefits.
By supporting wider adoption of industrial energy efficiency measures, ERER contributed to Europe’s broader low-carbon industrial transition and demonstrated the importance of practical implementation support in accelerating industrial decarbonisation.
This project was supported under the Sustainable Industry Low Carbon (SILC) initiative to promote industrial energy efficiency and low-carbon transition activities across Europe.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or associated programme authorities. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
