Problem amplification
China’s heat transition needs solutions at scale
Across China, cities and industries face different challenges in decarbonizing heat. Large district-heating systems need reliable alternatives to fossil-based heat, while industrial operators must balance efficiency, economics and increasingly demanding temperature requirements.For industry, the opportunity ranges from low- and medium-temperature heat to higher-temperature process heat and steam. Yet adoption remains challenging where upfront costs, electricity prices, integration requirements and limited experience with industrial heat pumps affect the business case.
At the same time, large-scale heat pumps can unlock waste heat and other local heat sources for urban heat networks – creating opportunities to decarbonize district heating as well as industrial processes.
The challenge is to deliver the right temperature, efficiency and scale for each application.
Solution
The heat pump principle
Heat pumps efficiently transfer energy to deliver the required heat at scale. By capturing and upgrading existing waste heat, this continuous cycle replaces traditional fossil-fuel combustion. It closes the energy loop, turning the complex challenge of industrial decarbonization into a manageable reality.
Decarbonize district heating – without compromising stability
Integrate mega heat pumps into your network to reduce emissions and unlock local heat sources, from ambient energy to industrial waste heat.
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Solution
Deliver high-temperature heat for industrial processes
From process heat to steam production, large-scale heat pumps can reduce emissions while delivering the temperature levels required by demanding industrial applications.
Heat pump calculator
See the impact on your bottom line
Estimate your potential CO₂ reduction, energy savings, and ROI — based on your specific application and operating conditions.
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Interactive product experience
Experience the power of river water heating in 3D
Step inside Everllence's innovative river water heat pump and explore the technology behind sustainable heat generation. Navigate through the entire system, interact with key components, and learn how natural energy sources support the energy transition.
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Benefits
Good reasons to use our heat pumps
High-temperature capability
Up to 300°C – enabling steam production and demanding industrial applications.
Proven at scale
Up to 100 MW per unit — designed for large-scale systems.
Maximum efficiency
Turn waste heat and ambient energy into valuable thermal output.
Flexible applications
From district heating to high-temperature industrial processes.
Unlock local heat sources
Turn waste heat and ambient energy into usable heat for cities and industries.
System integration expertise
Seamless integration into existing infrastructure and energy systems.
References
Proven in real-world applications
Clean heat for Boston
Turning river energy into clean steam
Boston’s 40 MW river-source steam heat pump will turn Charles River energy into climate-neutral district steam, set to become the largest installation of its kind in the U.S.
Clean heat for Cologne
Scaling decarbonized heat with river power
Heat from the Rhine, scaled for the city: the 150 MW system will supply around 50,000 households with climate-neutral district heating and reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 100,000 tons annually.
Clean heat for Helsinki
Finland's path to decarbonized heat
The world's largest of its kind, Helsinki's single-unit heat pump delivers ~33 MWth of heat to 30,000 households — cutting up to 26,000 tons of CO₂ per year, even in sub-zero temperatures.
FAQ
Good to know
Large heat pumps can address a wide range of heat requirements, from district heating to industrial process heat and steam. Everllence solutions cover temperatures from around 60°C up to 300°C, depending on the application and system configuration.
This is relevant in China because industrial heat requirements vary significantly by sector. The IEA reports that nearly 20% of China's industrial heat consumption is below 200°C, a range particularly suitable for heat-pump applications. Higher-temperature capabilities can extend the potential toward additional process heat and steam applications.
This is relevant in China because industrial heat requirements vary significantly by sector. The IEA reports that nearly 20% of China's industrial heat consumption is below 200°C, a range particularly suitable for heat-pump applications. Higher-temperature capabilities can extend the potential toward additional process heat and steam applications.
Yes. Large heat pumps can integrate ambient heat, water sources and industrial waste heat into district-heating systems, reducing the need for fossil-based heat generation.
District heating is particularly relevant in China because the country operates the world's largest district heat network, and the IEA identifies cleaner, more efficient district energy as an important decarbonization opportunity.
District heating is particularly relevant in China because the country operates the world's largest district heat network, and the IEA identifies cleaner, more efficient district energy as an important decarbonization opportunity.
Yes. High-temperature heat pumps can upgrade suitable heat sources to produce steam for industrial processes. Everllence heat pumps can reach supply temperatures of up to 300°C, depending on system configuration.
The opportunity is increasingly relevant as Chinese policy explicitly promotes further development of high-power and high-temperature heat pumps.
The opportunity is increasingly relevant as Chinese policy explicitly promotes further development of high-power and high-temperature heat pumps.
The business case depends on the available heat source, electricity and alternative fuel prices, operating hours, required temperature lift and integration costs. Waste-heat recovery can improve the economics by turning otherwise unused thermal energy into useful heat.
These factors need to be evaluated project by project. The IEA identifies upfront investment and operating costs as important barriers to industrial heat-pump deployment in China and recommends measures including financial support, wider access to dynamic electricity pricing and stronger waste-heat recovery.
These factors need to be evaluated project by project. The IEA identifies upfront investment and operating costs as important barriers to industrial heat-pump deployment in China and recommends measures including financial support, wider access to dynamic electricity pricing and stronger waste-heat recovery.
In March 2025, six national authorities, including the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration, issued the Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Heat Pump Industry. The plan supports the expansion of heat-pump applications and identifies high-power and high-temperature heat pumps among the technologies targeted for further development.
Official policy guidance also identifies petrochemicals, textiles and dyeing, food processing, paper, pharmaceuticals and building materials as priority industrial application areas.
Official policy guidance also identifies petrochemicals, textiles and dyeing, food processing, paper, pharmaceuticals and building materials as priority industrial application areas.
Despite stronger policy support, several barriers remain. The IEA identifies high upfront and operating costs, low awareness and adoption in industry, limited incentives for industrial waste-heat recovery, process-specific integration needs, limited demonstration projects, grid bottlenecks and limited availability of dynamic electricity pricing.
These factors make site-specific technical and economic assessment particularly important for large industrial and district-heating projects.
These factors make site-specific technical and economic assessment particularly important for large industrial and district-heating projects.
Project design needs to consider available heat sources, temperature requirements, existing heating infrastructure and local electricity-system conditions.
China's 2025 policy guidance explicitly emphasizes coordination with local renewable-energy resources, heat-network structures, grid capacity, heat demand and available heat resources.
China's 2025 policy guidance explicitly emphasizes coordination with local renewable-energy resources, heat-network structures, grid capacity, heat demand and available heat resources.
China's 2025 Heat Pump Action Plan places increasing emphasis on energy efficiency, system design, refrigerants, operational performance and standardization. Official guidance targets an improvement of more than 20% in the energy-efficiency level of key heat-pump products by 2030, alongside further development of high-power/high-temperature technology and lower-GWP refrigerants.
For project developers, this increases the importance of evaluating not only thermal performance but also integration, applicable standards and lifecycle requirements.
For project developers, this increases the importance of evaluating not only thermal performance but also integration, applicable standards and lifecycle requirements.
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