As industries and research communities look for cleaner ways to use energy more efficiently, low-grade waste heat remains an important but underused resource. Many industrial and technical processes release heat at relatively low temperatures, often below the threshold where conventional recovery systems are practical or economical.
The HEAT4ENERGY project addresses this challenge by exploring thermomagnetic technologies that can convert low-grade waste heat into electricity. Funded under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, HEAT4ENERGY is a Doctoral Network that brings together universities, research institutes, and industrial partners to advance research, training, and collaboration in this emerging field.
Low-grade waste heat as an energy opportunity
The energy transition depends not only on producing renewable energy, but also on using existing energy more intelligently. Across industrial processes, buildings, transport systems, and technical infrastructure, large amounts of heat are still released unused.
Low-grade waste heat is especially challenging because it is often available at temperatures where conventional recovery methods are less effective. Thermomagnetic energy conversion offers a possible route for harvesting part of this lost energy by using magnetic materials whose properties change with temperature.
For readers interested in magnetocaloric and solid-state energy technologies, this topic is closely connected to broader developments in magnetic materials, caloric effects, heat transfer, and energy-efficient system design.
Project scope
At a high level, HEAT4ENERGY focuses on the development of thermomagnetic technologies for converting low-grade waste heat into electrical energy. The project combines several areas of research and development, including materials science, magnetic characterization, thermal engineering, modelling, device concepts, and upscaling.
The project is structured as a doctoral network, with research and training closely connected. Doctoral candidates work across different parts of the technology chain, from understanding and optimizing thermomagnetic materials to exploring device-level performance and possible routes toward practical implementation.
Rather than focusing only on a single material or device concept, HEAT4ENERGY looks at the wider system needed for thermomagnetic energy conversion. This includes how materials behave, how heat can be transferred efficiently, how magnetic fields are generated and used, and how different design choices may influence performance at device level.
Research and innovation focus
HEAT4ENERGY combines research, training, and technology development around thermomagnetic energy conversion. Its objectives include training doctoral researchers, developing efficient and economically viable thermomagnetic materials, characterizing material properties, improving device concepts, studying upscaling routes, and involving industrial partners throughout the research and development process.
Together, these activities connect materials science with engineering and application-oriented development. The project looks at how thermomagnetic materials can be understood and improved, how devices can be designed for efficient heat-to-electricity conversion, and how emerging concepts can move toward realistic prototype systems.
Collaboration across research and industry
HEAT4ENERGY brings together a European consortium of universities, research institutes, and industrial partners working on different parts of the thermomagnetic energy-conversion challenge. The project connects expertise in magnetic materials, thermal engineering, modelling, device development, characterization, and potential industrial application.
The consortium includes partners from across Europe, such as Delft University of Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, University of Ljubljana, Radboud University, Institut Néel – CNRS, University for Continuing Education Krems, Magneto B.V., memetis GmbH, magnoric, University of Parma, TU Dresden, Université Grenoble Alpes, and TU Wien.
This broad collaboration is important because thermomagnetic energy conversion cannot be developed from a single perspective. Materials have to be designed and characterized, devices have to be engineered, thermal processes have to be understood, and the technology has to be considered in relation to real industrial needs.
For readers interested in magnetocaloric and solid-state energy technologies, HEAT4ENERGY offers a useful view of how magnetic materials may support not only heating and cooling, but also future approaches to waste-heat recovery and electricity generation.
Advisory and industrial relevance
The HEAT4ENERGY project also includes an External Advisory Board, which provides advice and recommendations related to research, training, and exploitation of results. This kind of advisory structure can help connect scientific work with broader industrial and societal relevance.
For emerging energy technologies, this connection is important. Laboratory performance is only one part of the development pathway. Materials must also be manufacturable, devices must be practical, systems must be reliable, and potential users must be able to understand where the technology could provide value.
Looking ahead
The project brings together work on materials development, characterization, modelling, device concepts, demonstrator activities, doctoral training, and industrial collaboration.
Its work programme includes the development of demonstrators for thermomagnetic energy conversion at different scales, helping to connect material-level research with system-level understanding.
For the magnetocaloric and broader caloric-materials community, HEAT4ENERGY is worth following because it contributes to a wider question: how can magnetic materials help build more efficient, sustainable, and practical energy technologies?
Further reading
Readers can learn more from the official HEAT4ENERGY project pages:
- About HEAT4ENERGY: https://heat4energy.eu/about-heat4energy
- HEAT4ENERGY consortium partners: https://heat4energy.eu/consortium/partners
- HEAT4ENERGY advisory board: https://heat4energy.eu/consortium/advisory-board
Attribution
This article is based on information originally published by the HEAT4ENERGY project, including its public pages on the project scope, consortium partners, advisory board, work packages, and doctoral research activities. It has been adapted as a high-level introduction for readers interested in magnetocaloric, thermomagnetic, and solid-state energy technologies.
