Dotternhausen, Germany, August 18, 2025
A 10 MW industrial waste‑heat recovery system has been installed at the Holcim cement plant in Dotternhausen, Germany. Heat is taken from the rotary kiln exhaust via a heat exchanger mounted at about 70 metres and transported by a high‑temperature thermal oil cycle to plant processes, local heat networks and an on‑site ORC power unit. The central generator is a large‑scale ORC designed for industrial duty. E.ON delivers the project under an Energy‑as‑a‑Service contract, with financial support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, aiming to cut Scope 2 emissions and enable wider roll‑out.
A new industrial heat recovery project will capture roughly 10 megawatts of unused thermal energy from the rotary kiln exhaust at a cement plant in Dotternhausen, Germany. The project is being delivered by three industry partners: the site operator, an energy infrastructure company, and a specialist in Organic Rankine Cycle technology. The scheme combines a high-temperature heat‑extraction system with a large-scale ORC unit intended to produce power and supply useful process heat.
Heat will be taken from the kiln exhaust at about 70 metres above ground using a purpose-built heat exchanger. That captured thermal energy will be moved by a high‑temperature thermal oil cycle to several heat sinks on site. The recovered heat is planned for direct use in internal cement production processes, for potential feed into nearby district heating networks, and to generate electricity through an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power unit.
The power island centres on a recently developed, heavy‑duty ORC machine designed for large industrial workloads. The new ORC system is aimed specifically at heavy industrial applications and is claimed to keep turbine efficiency high both when running at full power and when operating at partial load. This ability to retain efficiency across a range of outputs is intended to help the plant handle fluctuating heat supply from the kiln and still deliver steady performance.
One partner will carry out planning, construction, finance, operation and maintenance under an Energy‑as‑a‑Service arrangement. Under this model, the plant operator is not expected to provide up‑front capital for the installation. The contract is designed to shift the initial investment and technical responsibility to the energy provider while the industrial site gains immediate access to the recovered heat and power.
The installation is presented as a measure to cut operational energy costs and to reduce emissions from electricity and heat use at the site. Project backers highlight improvements in energy efficiency, reductions in greenhouse gas output — including lower Scope 2 emissions — and longer‑term cost savings. The scheme is also put forward as an example of how smart use of industrial waste heat can support decarbonisation in energy‑intensive sectors and how recovered heat can be integrated into local energy systems.
The work has received backing from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Planning already includes options for additional rollouts of similar systems at other sites, indicating an intention to expand the approach beyond the initial plant if performance and economics prove favourable.
The industrial operator provides the site and the source of waste heat; the energy infrastructure partner is responsible for delivering and operating the plant under the service contract; and the ORC specialist supplies the central power technology and the associated engineering. Together the partners aim to combine site knowledge, project delivery capability and ORC experience to turn otherwise wasted thermal energy into useful heat and electricity.
Cement making is an energy‑intensive process with large amounts of high‑temperature exhaust gas. Capturing even part of this energy and putting it to use on site or in nearby heating networks reduces the need for purchased energy and can cut lifecycle emissions. If the technical and commercial design performs as planned, the installation could serve as a working model for similar plants seeking to lower energy use and emissions without large up‑front capital from the industrial operator.
The project targets about 10 MW of recoverable thermal capacity taken from the kiln exhaust stream.
Heat is extracted from the rotary kiln exhaust via a heat exchanger installed approximately 70 metres above the ground at the plant.
Recovered heat will travel through a high‑temperature thermal oil cycle to multiple heat sinks including internal process points and potential district heating connections.
Electricity generation uses an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system; the site will install a new high‑performance ORC unit developed for heavy industrial duty.
The plant is delivered under an Energy‑as‑a‑Service contract so the industrial operator is not expected to make up‑front capital payments; the energy partner handles finance, construction and ongoing operation.
The project has received support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
Joint planning includes additional rollouts, indicating potential wider deployment if the initial installation meets targets for performance and cost savings.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Dotternhausen cement plant, Germany |
| Partners | Plant operator, energy infrastructure provider, ORC technology supplier |
| Recovered thermal capacity | ~10 MW |
| Heat source | Rotary kiln exhaust gases |
| Heat extraction point | Heat exchanger at ~70 m height |
| Heat transport | High‑temperature thermal oil cycle |
| Power technology | Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with a large eP1000-style unit |
| Delivery model | Energy‑as‑a‑Service (no up‑front capital from the site operator) |
| Funding support | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) |
| Intended benefits | On-site heat reuse, potential district heating feed, power generation, energy cost savings, and reduced Scope 2 emissions |
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