On 2 April 2025, the JOULIA project took part in the Symposium on Heat and Power Technologies for Industrial Decarbonisation, hosted by the Heat and Power Technology (HPT) division at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. This full-day event brought together leading researchers, students, public sector representatives, and industry stakeholders to address the urgent challenge of decarbonising industrial energy systems.
The symposium featured a dynamic programme of keynote speeches, technical presentations, and panel discussions, covering topics such as thermal energy storage, electrification, circular processes, and collaborative approaches to energy system transformation. JOULIA was represented among other prominent research and innovation initiatives in exploring how the energy transition can be achieved in a way that balances climate action, industrial competitiveness, and economic viability.
The discussions highlighted several critical areas for accelerating decarbonisation:
- Cross-sector collaboration is essential to align timelines, leverage complementary innovations, and avoid duplication of efforts.
- Heat remains the dominant energy demand in industry—technological solutions and policy frameworks must prioritise this area.
- Long-term infrastructure planning, particularly for electricity grid expansion, is needed to support electrification.
- Financial mechanisms and regulatory alignment are crucial to enabling investment in clean technologies and ensuring competitiveness.
- The transition must be inclusive and pragmatic, supporting both innovation and the long-term resilience of European industry.
The Symposium at KTH brought together voices from industry, research, and policy to tackle the challenge of industrial decarbonisation. Speakers highlighted the need for faster decision-making, better coordination, and stronger collaboration across sectors.
Kamil Maszczyk our partner from KFLEX representing one of JOULIA’s demosites captured one of the day’s key tensions:
“Reducing CO₂ emissions is possible, but staying competitive is tough—especially when you’re competing against players who don’t have to care about the environmental side. That creates a real imbalance.”
Throughout the day, participants echoed the need to align technology, finance, and policy to accelerate the energy transition, while ensuring no one is left behind.
JOULIA remains committed to engaging in cross-project dialogue and contributing to knowledge exchange within the wider research and innovation ecosystem. Events such as this symposium serve as valuable opportunities to align goals, share insights, and build the partnerships needed to realise Europe’s climate and industrial ambitions.
All photos used in this post were sourced from the official KTH Royal Institute of Technology website, specifically the event page for the Symposium on Heat and Power Technologies for Industrial Decarbonization – 2025. Full photo credits go to Domotion and Priscila Costa Nascimento, as credited on the original site.
