An integrated solution has been developed to enable industrial heat supply systems to transition to eco-friendly and high-efficiency energy systems. The technology enables various industrial heat supply systems, traditionally dominated by fossil fuel-based gas boilers, to be objectively compared and optimized according to site-specific operating conditions while providing high-temperature heat through a solar heat pump system. It is expected to accelerate the transition toward carbon neutrality across the industrial sector.

□ A research team led by Dr. Chang-Dae Park, Principal Researcher at the Research Institute of Carbon-neutral Energy Machinery of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM, President Seog-Hyeon Ryu), developed the Industrial Thermal Energy Optimization Platform (iTOP) and the Solar Heat Pump Industrial Process Thermal Energy System (SoHProtes), and successfully completed an industrial field demonstration. The research team also installed a 300 kW system at a food processing plant in Gimpo, where it has been operated for more than one and a half years to verify its field applicability.

□ The iTOP developed by the KIMM research team is a design platform that simultaneously compares and analyzes more than 21 types of heat supply systems based on site-specific conditions, including location, available land area, required process temperature, heat demand, waste heat availability, and load patterns. It performs dynamic performance simulations and economic analyses for a wide range of heat supply technologies, including gas boilers, electric boilers, electrode boilers, high-temperature heat pumps, solar thermal systems, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Based on the results, the platform provides optimized equipment types, configurations, and process designs.

□ Most industrial facilities have traditionally relied on fossil fuel-based boilers while lacking an objective tool to identify the most suitable heat supply system for their specific operating conditions. In addition, although high-temperature heat pumps require a sufficient heat source, their application in industrial sites has been limited by the lack of available waste heat. The key innovation of this technology lies in the integrated development of both the design platform and the heat supply system, linking optimal equipment selection with the actual supply of high-temperature process heat.

□ The technology can reduce the risks of overdesign, underdesign, and investment associated with the introduction of industrial heat supply systems. The iTOP platform supports data-driven decision-making by recommending the most suitable types and capacities of heat supply equipment based on site-specific requirements, enabling users to evaluate economic feasibility in advance. In addition, SoHProtes distinguishes itself from conventional systems by integrating solar thermal energy with a heat pump, enabling carbon-neutral heat supply even in environments where waste heat is unavailable or insufficient.

□ Field demonstration results showed that SoHProtes can reduce carbon emissions by approximately 44% compared with conventional industrial gas boilers. The demonstration also confirmed that replacing a 1 ton/h-class gas boiler could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4,000 tons while achieving a payback period of approximately three years. The technology is expected to serve as a key enabling technology for supporting the transition to carbon neutrality across a wide range of industries, including food processing, chemicals, paper, and textiles, where process heat below 200°C is required.

□ Dr. Chang-Dae Park, Principal Researcher at the Research Institute of Carbon-neutral Energy Machinery of KIMM, said, “The iTOP and SoHProtes together provide an integrated solution that enables the design of heat supply systems optimized for industrial sites while delivering high-temperature thermal energy in actual industrial applications. We expect this technology to make a significant contribution to achieving carbon neutrality in industrial thermal energy sectors that continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels.” He added, “Building on this achievement, we are preparing to launch a startup in 2026. We will also further advance the design platform by integrating AI technologies.”

□ This research was conducted through the project, “Development of solar thermal convergence system and smart O&M system for industrial process heat” (Lead Organization: S&G Energy), supported by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. The research findings have been published in several SCI-indexed journals, including Energy Conversion and Management and Renewable Energy. The research team has also filed patent applications for related technologies, including “Solar Thermal Heat Pump System for Industrial Processes” and ” Solar Thermal Heat Pump Hybrid System and Design Method Using Design Platform.”