Waste heat – from applications like data centers, supermarkets, factories, and wastewater treatment plants – is one of the largest and most overlooked sources of energy. Technologies are readily available to capture and reuse waste heat, yet many countries are losing more energy as unused heat than they consume, a new analysis from Danfoss reveals.
The scale of waste heat potential
Europe wastes enough energy each year to power Paris for more than 48 years. Meanwhile in 2023, the US wasted nearly three times its total heating demand in the form of waste heat.
Reusing waste heat, which is energy that has already been produced and paid for, can help the EU cut its dependence on gas. In 2023, at least 3,100 TWh of waste heat globally went uncaptured, and recovery could provide annual global savings of up to €140 billion.
