As the electricity transmission network connects many generation, storage and consumption units, the current options for waste heat feed-in and interregional exchange are limited. Heat Highway is therefore investigating interregional heat transfer networks (HTN) that connect multiple (i) industrial waste heat and other sustainable sources, (ii) district heating networks, (iii) industrial process heat sinks, and (iv) storage. These HTN connect consumption centers and industrial sites, crossing areas with other heat sources and sinks. The project reduces risks by involving many supply and demand nodes and creating innovative business models. The concept will go far beyond the state of the art in terms of the number of actors, interregionality and networking. Heat Highway is developing two 100 km long HTN in Upper Austria and Styria and is driving three sections for practical implementation: It is preparing KPC investment funding applications for the Upper Austrian HTN sections “Central Area” and “Linz” and initializing the next steps and stakeholder participation in Styria. Heat Highway aims to develop an interdisciplinary toolbox for HTN implementation, to anticipate the medium-term use of waste heat from innovative processes, to develop a cost-effective pipe system and then to create a “lean pipe prototype” and the technical controllability of a Systems with several players based on 3D simulations “virtual HTN demonstrator”. The investigations in four “follower regions” ensure reproducibility.
Heat Highway
Interregional heat transmission networks to enable industrial waste heat
Project Description
Project Consortium
- Energieinstitut an der JKU Linz
- FH OÖ Forschungs & Entwicklungs GmbH
- Energiesparverband Oberösterreich
- Kremsmüller Industrieanlagenbau KG
- Energie AG Oberösterreich Erzeugung GmbH
- LINZ AG für Energie, Telekommunikation, Verkehr und Kommunale Dienste
- eww ag
- Montanuniversität Leoben – Lehrstuhl für Energieverbundtechnik
- Borealis Agrolinz Melamine GmbH
- ALLPLAN Gesellschaft m.b.H.
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
- voestalpine Stahl GmbH
- Business Upper Austria-OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH
- Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH
- voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH
- Energie AG Oberösterreich Umwelt Service GmbH
- Ars Electronica Linz GmbH & Co KG
Project duration
01.03.2021 - 29.02.2024
Funding provider
Climate and Energy Fund
Funding program
Vorzeigeregion Energie - New Energy For Industry

Dieses Projekt wird aus Mitteln des Klima- und Energiefonds gefördert und im Rahmen des Programmes "880797" durchgeführt.

Dissemination
- Project website: https://www.nefi.at/de/projekt/heat-highway
- Heat Highway – Review of Best Practice Examples
- Heat Highway – Further Followers
- Heat Highway – Follower Innviertel
- Heat Highway – Follower Inntal (Heat sinks and sources)
- Heat Highway – Follower Inntal (Business Case)
- Heat Highway – DH pipeline technologies
- Heat Highway – Control Algorithms (Use Case Linz)
- Heat Highway – Control Algorithms (general)
Publikation: Holzleitner et al. (2025) Waste heat inconsistencies in the EU’s energy legislation
Contact Person

Key Researcher
Energy Economics