In the recent publication “Implementation of an Expanding Thermal Source Network as a Step Towards CO₂-Neutral Industry” (Energy, Vol. 330, 2025), researchers present a breakthrough case study showcasing a thermal source network (TSN) designed for an industrial site, incampus in Ingolstadt, Germany.
The study, authored by Simon Müller, Christoph Bott, David Schmitt, Markus Faigl, Klaus Göttl, Rainer Strobel, Peter Bayer and Tobias Schrag, is a cornerstone reference for sustainable industrial transformation through energy innovation.
The TSN, implemented on a former refinery site, demonstrates a scalable, renewable-integrated system that interconnects low-temperature energy sources like groundwater and waste heat with advanced thermal energy storage units. Through this integration, the system achieves a projected reduction in primary thermal energy demand from 32.5 GWh/a to 19.3 GWh/a.
Key highlights of the study include:
📊 First-ever monitoring of an uninsulated TSN in an industrial context, revealing its real-world performance.
🌱 Decarbonisation strategy integrating renewable thermal sources, including surplus data centre heat and groundwater cooling.
🔁 Flexibility in phased deployment, enabling efficient operation even under partial load conditions during ramp-up.
💡 Demand balancing across buildings and within the TSN — increasing efficiency and reducing energy losses.
🔬 Measured seasonal performance factor (SPF) of up to 6 for heating and 8 for cooling, indicating high efficiency in low-load conditions.
The authors emphasize that while the system is still ramping up, the results validate the TSN’s core design principles and point to its scalability and replicability for broader industrial use.
This work was partially funded under the EU Horizon Europe project INTERSTORES (GA No. 101136100).
📄 Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136766