The event was organised on Mayy 7th by the joint solar energy research centre of the University of Almería and the Plataforma Solar de Almería.
Industrial heat accounts for roughly two‑thirds of energy use in manufacturing, yet it remains one of the least discussed challenges in the energy transition. While solar energy is already deployed in industry for temperatures between 80 and 200°C, key Mediterranean sectors like chemicals and plastics require much higher temperatures, up to 300°C and beyond. The workshop addressed precisely this gap, bringing together researchers, technology providers, and policymakers to discuss what works, what doesn’t, and what support is available.
Technical sessions and industry perspectives
The programme opened with a welcome from the University of Almería, followed by a presentation of the GREENOLIVE project. Prof. Halime Paksoy of Çukurova University presented on the importance and urgency of industrial heat decarbonisation, outlining the challenges facing industry: rising fossil fuel costs, tightening emissions regulations, and the technical difficulty of replacing high‑temperature heat with renewable sources.
A technical session on Power‑to‑Heat (P2H) followed, covering the conversion of solar electricity into high‑temperature industrial heat, with a focus on system integration and efficiency. Two companies presented their solutions:
A session with representatives from the municipality and regional government authority addressed the support available to industry: what funding exists at European, national, and regional levels, and how companies can access it.
Sharing experiences and defining local needs
After a coffee break, the workshop continued with a session on sharing experiences in P2H deployment, allowing participants to exchange knowledge on what has worked in practice and what barriers remain.
The final session was a roundtable discussion on defining local industrial needs. Participants identified what industries in the Almería region actually require from renewable heat technologies, and what barriers – technical, economic, or regulatory – still stand in the way. The region is home to a dense concentration of greenhouse agriculture, food processing, and other industries that could benefit from solar process heat.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks and a summary of next steps.
Last Update
25/06/2026
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