Solar thermal energy for industrial heat with ENESTRA
"The question is not what it costs, to invest in solar thermal energy for industrial processes
but rather what it costs if you DON'T do it."
(Elmar Burgard, Managing Director ENESTRA)
Solar thermal energy for industrial heating - investment with a short amortization period.
A scientific study from 2025 by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the German Solar Association (BSW) entitled "Solar process heat for German industry – yield and economic efficiency compared to conventional heat supply" identifies the following positive effects for the use of solar thermal energy for industrial heat:
1. The lowest value for heat generation costs for a pure solar thermal system (LCOHsolar) is 2.7 €ct/kWh.
2. The integration of solar thermal energy significantly reduces the heat generation costs of a solar-gas hybrid system (LCOHhybrid) from almost 14 €ct/kWh to around 8 €ct/kWh at high solar coverage rates.
3. Payback periods vary between 3.2 and 10 years - depending on system size, location and funding measures.
4. Savings over the system's service life increase almost linearly with the solar coverage rate.
5. Site-specific optimization is essential to adapt collector technologies and storage capacities to the site-specific solar irradiance and the load profiles of industrial processes, as this has a major influence on the optimal solar coverage rate and the economic system dimensioning.
Implementation in concrete solar thermal projects by ENESTRA brings surprising solutions
ENESTRA's experienced experts turn ideas into projects that are technologically and economically tailored to specific requirements by:
1. Correctly determining the specific energy requirements for each day, week, month, and year
2. Detailed consideration and, if necessary, optimization of the specifics of the production process
3. Intelligent selection of the appropriate collector and storage type
4. Precise dimensioning and design of the system
5. Clever integration of backup solutions and supplementary energy sources
6. Targeted use of subcomponents (e.g., waste heat utilization) or elimination of subcomponents (e.g., heat exchangers) to improve efficiency
7. Conceptual integration of other trades to achieve additional environmental goals (e.g., horticulture for biodiversity measures and water cycle control)
Planning with ENESTRA means transformation, resilience, and cost-effectiveness
The experts at ENESTRA turn complex energy challenges into clear courses of action — combining technical expertise, economic soundness, and a focus on implementation. Whether it’s an initial system assessment or a specific project, we help you identify the next logical steps. Learn more about ENESTRA here!
ENESTRA builds trust without risk
Even though ENESTRA always puts the customer's interests first, we always give our customers the opportunity to develop the collaboration step by step. Each step already results in measurable customer benefits, and this allows mutual trust to develop without risk. Details on the step-by-step development of the collaboration can be found here.
Topics
How solar thermal energy works
Solar thermal systems use solar energy to heat a fluid and then use or store the heat generated directly. This means that the photovoltaic detour via electricity generation is avoided. A schematic representation of a possible solar thermal system can be found here.
Temperature ranges of solar collectors
There are different types of solar collectors, which differ both in terms of how they convert solar energy into heat and in terms of the temperatures they generate. An overview of the different types can be found here.
Effects of solar thermal energy
The most important reason why solar process heat is generally a worthwhile alternative for many industrial processes is that it is a technological “shortcut” to heat generation without the detour via electricity. Further reasons can be found here.
Advantages of solar thermal energy
An unbiased comparison of solar thermal energy and photovoltaics, which looks beyond the pure module costs to sensible overall systems, shows different advantages and disadvantages depending on the specific heat demand. Specific advantages can be found here.
Why is resilience just as important as energy efficiency?
Because energy efficiency (only) saves costs, but resilience ensures the ability to act. More detailed explanations can be found here.
Sample Projects - Coming Soon
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The Use of AI at ENESTRA – With Care and Purpose
Of course, ENESTRA also uses the latest AI applications, but this is not an end in itself; rather, it is always used in a measured way to optimize the respective project in a meaningful way. Details on the principles of AI use can be found here.
Get in touch
Enestra EnergiestrategieGmbH
Neuschenke 23
07957 Langenwetzendorf / Thür.
Germany
+49 176 34102759
