Waste heat is a problem common to high temperature processing industries as a significantly underused resource, often due to challenges in economic heat valorisation. Secondary aluminium recycling and ceramic processing were identified as key examples with economically recoverable waste heat. Several challenges are inherent; these processes are batch-based rather than continuous with corrosive particulate-laden flue gas over a wide temperature range. The Smartrec system meets these challenges by development of a standard, modular solution for integration of heat recovery with thermal storage that valorises medium to high grade waste heat, adaptable to different temperatures and industries. Following end-user analysis and characterisation of exhaust streams and waste products, full life cycle costing and assessment will be carried out with candidate molten salts selected for thermal storage and heat transfer fluid, validated by corrosion testing. A custom heat pipe heat exchanger will be modelled and designed around the requirements of heat transport capacity wick structure and capable of heat exchange with a molten salt pumping loop. This loop will include dual media thermocline thermal storage system with cost/system modelling, validation and instrumentation incorporated. A pilot Smartrec system will be constructed and deployed in a secondary aluminium recycler and/or ceramic processor valorising high grade heat for continuous energy-intensive salt-cake recycling. Smartrec will be validated by integration with existing systems with >6 months operation including a fully developed instrumentation framework. A knowledge-based tool will be developed containing all relevant Smartrec parameters and information to model the system fully and allow users to determine their requirements, potential benefits and integrate Smartrec into their own systems via an open access workshop hosted by the consortium.

The GEOFLEXheat project aims to revolutionize the European geothermal energy sector by introducing an innovative suite of technologies to enhance the extraction, efficiency and application of geothermal heat across diverse industrial sectors. This initiative is driven by a consortium that synergizes leading research institutions, SMEs, and industry experts to tackle the challenges of scalability, integration, and social acceptance associated with geothermal systems. At the core of project lies the development of a Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger coupled with an advanced Scaling Reactor to improve heat recovery from geothermal brine while simultaneously providing valuable mineral byproducts. This is complemented by a novel High-Temperature Heat Pump that delivers cost-effective and high-temperature heat, crucial for a wide range of industrial processes and beyond. The project will also deliver a state-of-the-art Control Strategy and Digital Twin, optimizing system performance and enabling real-time management of geothermal plants. Through comprehensive simulation and modelling, the project will showcase the full potential of geothermal energy to provide stable, affordable, and sustainable heat supply. The ambitious goals include fostering Europe's global leadership in renewable technologies, ensuring reliable energy supply for industries and households, and accelerating the integration of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage with geothermal systems. To ensure the project's outcomes have a lasting impact, GEOFLEXheat will execute robust commercialization strategy, including the establishment of a spin-off company, extensive environmental and economic assessments, and the creation of a Social Acceptance Guide to facilitate policy influence and community engagement. Embracing a future where geothermal energy is a cornerstone of Europe's renewable energy mix, GEOFLEXheat is poised to become a catalyst for energy sustainability, economic growth and environmental stewardship.

MAST3RBoost will bring to the stage of maturation a new generation of ultraporous materials (Activated carbons, ACs, and MOFs) with a 30% increase of the working capacity of H2 at 100 bar (reaching 10 wt% and 44 gH2/lPS), by turning the lab-scale synthesis protocols into industrial-like manufacturing process. Densified prototypes of ACs and MOFs will be produced beyond 10 kg for the first time using pre-industrial facilities already in place. The process will be actively guided by unsupervised Machine Learning, while the foundations for an in-depth supervised learning in the sector of H2 storage will be established with harmonized procedures. Recycled raw materials for the manufacturing of the ultraporous materials will be actively pursued, both from waste agroforestry biomass and from solid urban waste (PET and Al-lined bricks). In parallel, new lightweight Al and Mg-based metal alloys will be adapted to Additive Manufacturing, via the WAAM technology. Databases for mechanical properties relevant to pressure vessel design will be improved, covering gaps for testing under compressed H2. WAAM and engineering capacities (COMSOL numerical calculation) will allow to produce an innovative type I vessel demonstrator including balance of plant and with a dedicated shape to better fit on-board. A unique combination of maximum pressure (up to 100 bar) and carefully selected temperature swing will allow producing a system storage density as high as 33 gH2/lsys. The system will be manufactured to embed 1 kg of H2, becoming a worldwide benchmark for the adsorbed storage at low compression with a highly competitive projected cost of 1,780 ? for the automotive sector. This demonstrator will embody an actual and techno-economically feasible solution for transportations sectors that require storage capacities beyond 60 kg H2 such as trucks, trains and planes. LCA and risk & safety assessment will be performed with high-quality data and shared with stakeholders of the sector.

Heat exchangers (HXs) are the most critical components of a geothermal power plant specially for organic Rankine cycle (ORC) based plant and the capital cost of heat exchanger accounts for a large proportion of ORC, and even reaches about 86% when air cooled condenser is used. Direct heat exchangers (e.g. geothermal brine to district heating) and ORC HXs such as superheater, preheater, evaporator are in direct contact with the geothermal brine, causing scaling and corrosion at different extent based on the thermophysical condition and chemical composition of the geofluid. To handle corrosion, expensive materials are recommended, but due to lower thermal conductivity and degraded performance over time compel to increases the size of the HXs. Hence, improvements in the antiscaling and anticorrosion properties as well as heat transfer performance of the HX material will lead to smaller, more efficient and less costly systems. GeoHex will rely on the use low cost carbon steel as base material for HX. Through modifying the surface with nano porous coating and controlling the surface chemistry (along with the surface structure), GeoHex will significantly improve the heat transfer performance of single phase and phase change heat transfer process respectively. To attribute the antiscaling and anticorrosion properties, the brine side of the surface will be Ni-P/Ni-P-PTFE duplex coated by electroless method. GeoHex will significantly reduce the cost of ORC plant while lowering the environmental impact. The technology concept can be exploited to build cost efficient HXs for solar thermal energy, heat pumps, absorption chiller, geothermal energy-based district heating cooling system. GeoHex enabled ORC plant, heat pumps and absorption chiller can be used for waste heat recovery application. Hence, GeoHex will significantly contribute to enhance the energy security, decarbonise the economy, establish the EU leadership on renewables.