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White paper: Effective utilization of waste heat to provide affordable green heating

Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Waste Heat Whitepaper

Effective utilization of waste heat to provide Affordable green heating

Explore how EU policies and advanced technology drive waste heat recovery. This white paper covers legislative frameworks, innovative tools, and real-world success stories for sustainable energy solutions.

Download the whitepaper

Utilizing waste heat through heat pumps offers affordable heating solutions. Over the past five years, numerous real-world cases have
demonstrated the effectiveness of waste heat in district heating systems. A specialized software tool developed by Danfoss Climate Solutions predicts the feasibility of potential waste heat sources. 

This white paper presents results from various installations in the MW range, serving as inspiration for heating plans under the Energy Efficiency Directive https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-targets-directive-and-rules/energy-efficiency-directive_en.

Unleashing the Potential of Waste Heat

Waste heat is a largely underutilized resource. Significant amounts of heat are generated by applications such as data centers, supermarkets, food processing plants, industrial processes, hospitals, and wastewater treatment plants.
Integrating waste heat into energy systems can enhance their resilience and efficiency, creating a more interconnected and robust energy network. By lowering the demand for primary energy sources and additional heating systems, energy costs and emissions will be reduced, making waste heat recovery and reuse an asset for both consumers and the environment.

  • EU legislative frameworks: Exploration of the EED and RED III policies supporting waste heat recovery.
  • Technological advancements: Details on advanced heat pumps and smart recovery systems.
  • Predictive tool insights: Information on Danfoss's Heat Recovery Tool for project assessments.
  • Real-world case studies: Success stories from Danfoss data center, bi-directional heating station, supermarket, Sønderborg Hospital, and Sønderborg Heating Utility.
  • Policy and technological opportunities: Analysis of existing and potential improvements in waste heat recovery frameworks.
Download the whitepaper here

Meet the authors

Torben Funder-Kristensen, Head of Industry Affairs Climate Solutions, Danfoss
Torben Funder-Kristensen, Head of Industry Affairs Climate Solutions, Danfoss

Torben Funder-Kristensen is an experienced thought leader in the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry. For more than 20 years, he has worked on solutions for sustainable cooling of products, people and the planet. Since joining Danfoss in 1995, Torben has held several management positions within development of manufacturing processes, materials and components. With these deep technical insights, he is at the forefront of developing technologies with far-reaching implications, such as helping to implement the Montreal Protocol or developing better cold chains. Torben continues to drive innovation by applying existing technologies to new challenges, as he is the author of numerous white papers and patents. He holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and he represents Danfoss in EPEE, EHPA GFCCC and ASERCOM.

Andrea Voigt, VP, Public Affairs & Sustainability, Danfoss Climate Solutions
Andrea Voigt, VP, Public Affairs & Sustainability, Danfoss Climate Solutions

Andrea has over 20 years of experience in the heating, cooling and refrigeration (HVACR) sector with a strong focus on energy efficiency, renewable energies and climate related topics
Prior to joining Danfoss in 2021, Andrea was leading the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), a major Brussels based industry association, for 12 years. With over two decades of experience in senior leadership roles in the heating, cooling and refrigeration (HVACR) sector, Andrea is combining her solid industry knowledge with an extensive network and unique strategic insights into global policy developments and macro trends. 
Andrea holds an Executive Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Hertie School Berlin, and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistic Sciences from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. In addition, she has various executive educations from INSEAD, Oxford University and London School of Economics. A German national and fluent in English and French, Andrea lives in Brussels, Belgium with her family. 
In her personal capacity, Andrea is a member of the Montreal Protocol Refrigeration, A/C and Heat Pump Technical Committee (RTOC), providing technical information and advice about sustainable HVACR technologies to government parties to the Montreal Protocol.

Heat Recovery Tool

Heat Recovery Tool

Try out our new Heat Recovery Tool that analyzes your heat source and consumption. The tool links data with current energy prices to provide tailored recommendations for your operation.

Heat Recovery Tool

The potential of excess heat.
A key to decarbonization

Unlock the potential of waste heat with Danfoss. Waste heat recovery is essential for achieving decarbonization goals, transforming underutilized heat sources into valuable energy assets. 

Discover innovative solutions that enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and offer significant cost savings. Explore case studies and learn how integrating waste heat into district energy networks can reshape the energy landscape for a sustainable future.

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