LOW valued energy sources UPgrading for buildings and industry uses

2026-07-22

In the “secure, clean and efficient energy” initiative, it is stated that the most important milestones for such a transformation are the EU's energy and climate targets for 2030, which are: (i) at least 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990, (ii) at least 27% for the share of renewable energy consumed in the EU, and (iii) at least 27% improvement of energy efficiency and an electricity interconnection target of 10%[1].The LowUP Project has a two-fold strategy: 1) on one hand, to target goals (i) and (ii) of these climate challenge with a 42 months duration project where innovation will be the core activity, and 2), on other hand, to successfully present different technological solutions which will enable the participation of low grade thermal energy sources in the energy transition, and improve the efficiency of the Europe Low Exergy systems, not only at building level but also in industrial applications. Within the LowUP project three different heating and cooling systems will be developed and demonstrated at relevant environment: HEAT-LowUP (low exergy heating system directly fed by solar and sewage water recovered heat) COOL-LowUP (low exergy cooling systems directly fed by renewable and free energy sources) and HP-LowUP ( waste heat recovery and upgrading via heat pump.) The first two systems are focused on the rational and efficient use of low valued energy sources for direct implementation in low-exergy heating & cooling systems for buildings and the third one is focused on the exploitation of low temperature residual energy, wasted with industrial processes, by upgrading them to generate useful heat to be re-introduced in the process. The project will be implemented using the Acciona thermal lab located in Seville where will be emulated different real cases as the industrial process of a Water treatment plant, an automotive factory and a retirement house.

Spain, Netherlands, Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria

2026-01-15