A new EU-funded project is set to reduce emissions from industrial heating and cooling by advancing standardised large-scale heat pumps utilising geothermal, solar thermal and excess or “waste” heat for low- and medium-temperature processes. The project aims to address the lack of replicable industrial heat pump solutions, as current systems are often developed as tailor-made installations, making them more expensive and complicated to deploy, as well as limiting their efficiency and impact when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. The HP4INDUSTRY project was officially launched with a kick-off meeting in Brussels on 20 January 2026 and will run for three years. The partners will work together to design, develop and validate heat pump-based solutions to help industrial process sectors cut fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while safeguarding competitiveness. It will also deliver innovative business models that can be scaled up across a wide range of industrial applications. As Philippe Dumas, Secretary General of the European Geothermal Energy Council and HP4INDUSTRY Project Coordinator said: “Energy security, affordability and competitiveness are at the heart of today’s policy-making, and industrial heat pumps deliver on all three. By bringing together clean tech providers with end users, HP4INDUSTRY aims to generate new business partnerships and help to increase the take-up of heat pump solutions”. The project focuses on low- and medium-temperature heat applications, where large heat pumps with geothermal, solar thermal and waste heat recovery offer the greatest potential. Priority sectors include pulp and paper, food and beverage, and chemicals, where electrifying process heat can achieve substantial emissions reductions. HP4INDUSTRY follows a structured three-phase approach. In the first phase, the project will map industrial heating and cooling needs and identify available heat upgrade technologies capable of meeting those needs across the targeted sectors. Building on this analysis, project partners will develop and validate standard heat pump solutions under real industrial conditions. In the final phase, the consortium will focus on replication and outreach, supporting wider market uptake during the project’s lifetime and beyond. At the heart of HP4INDUSTRY is the ambition to bridge the gap between technology suppliers and industrial users. The project builds on previous successful cooperation between members of the European Heat Pump Association and the Confederation of European Paper Industries, which led to the publication of a joint paper in 2023 on standardised heat pump integration in paper production. Drawing on this experience, HP4INDUSTRY addresses two persistent barriers to deployment: limited awareness among end users regarding the benefits and potential of heat pumps and hybrid solutions, and an incomplete understanding of industrial process requirements on the side of technology suppliers. The HP4INDUSTRY project is funded under the European Union’s LIFE Programme and the consortium brings together a broad range of expertise, including: the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC), the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), Turboden SPA, Smart Energy Europe (SmartEn), OPTIT, the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology, Solar Heat Europe, Fraunhofer, MM Frohnleiten GmbH, and CO.PRO.B (Cooperative Society of Italian Sugar Beet Producers).

Geothermal energy has huge potential to reinforce Europe’s energy security and boost competitiveness, whilst delivering affordable energy to all. Yet this potential remains largely untapped.EGEC, together with the geothermal industry, energy consumers, researchers, government agencies and many others, are demanding a dedicated Geothermal Strategy and Action Plan to remove barriers and accelerate investments in Europe’s future (see our letter to the European Commission below).Geothermal energy has a vital role to play in the upcoming Electrification Action Plan, and Heating and Cooling Strategy, and merits specific attention to address the obstacles that have hindered its growth. Read the letter to the European Commission To learn more about EGEC's proposals, read our latest policy paper

To conclude the European Geothermal Congress 2025, which took place from 6–10 October 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland, we have gathered all 600+ papers that brought the Congress to life. The ISBN code is 978-2-9601946-6-4. The Organising Committee of the European Geothermal Congress declares that the material (text, figures and tables) of the Conference Proceedings can be reused for publication without copyright restrictions. The European Geothermal Congress 2025 was co-organised by the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) and the Swiss Geothermal Association (Geothermie Suisse).

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) welcomes the European Commission’s review of the energy labelling and Ecodesign requirements for space and combination heaters. These revisions are both timely and necessary to reflect technological progress and ensure consistency with EU climate objectives. EGEC considers the review a key opportunity to correct long-standing shortcomings affecting geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), whose performance has historically been misrepresented due to outdated and unrealistic testing assumptions. Under the current framework, geothermal heat pumps are assessed using inlet temperature assumptions set in 2013 that rely on unrealistically low brine temperatures. This has resulted in systematic underestimation of geothermal performance compared to other heat pump technologies, despite geothermal proven seasonal efficiency, stability and system value. We therefore welcome the Commission’s proposal to adjust the reference inlet temperature to 5 °C, which better reflects average operating conditions across Europe and restores fairness between technologies. This correction also aligns geothermal testing conditions with the way average conditions are already used for air-source heat pumps. We consider the proposed 5 °C reference temperature a pragmatic and robust compromise that improves representativeness without adding unnecessary complexity to the regulatory framework. It should be clearly defined as an average seasonal condition, not a conservative design extreme. While supporting a more differentiated testing approach in the longer term, we believe this revision is an essential step towards a level playing field and an accurate recognition of geothermal heat pumps within EU energy policy. Read EGEC's response to the consultation

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to review the Climate and Environmental Delegated Acts of the EU Taxonomy legislation. We strongly support the objectives of simplification, reduction of administrative burden, and alignment of Taxonomy with the EU’s industrial and climate ambitions. In this context, and with the intention of contributing to a more coherent and technology-neutral sustainable finance framework, we wish to suggest the following modifications. Remove the emission threshold and mandatory LCA requirements for geothermal technologies Create a coherent taxonomy category for geothermal heat pumps Clarify the scope of the “Manufacturing of renewable energy technologies” category Address practical challenges in DNSH criteria for DHC networks   Read EGEC’S full position  

EGEC 's proposals for a European Geothermal Strategy and Action Plan, published on 5 December 2025.