Austrian heat pump manufacturer ecop has secured €13.2 million from the EU Innovation Fund (IF24) for its GRIP project. The funding will support ecop’s first high-volume manufacturing facility for Rotation Heat Pumps, including the industrial-scale application of microchannel diffusion bonding and a novel electrochemical machining method. Spinverse supported ecop in preparing the successful application and continues to provide project management support during implementation.
Decarbonising high-temperature process heat
Many industrial processes require heat at temperatures that are difficult to supply efficiently without fossil fuels. The GRIP project (Greenhouse Gas Reduction through Industrial Production of the Rotation Heat Pump) addresses this challenge by scaling production of Rotation Heat Pumps designed to provide process heat at temperatures of up to 200°C.
The GRIP project will deliver a global first: the construction and operation of a dedicated manufacturing facility for Rotation Heat Pumps, with an annual production capacity of 100 units. It will also contribute to regional economic growth and create jobs in Austria.
Building dedicated production capacity for Rotation Heat Pumps
The GRIP project will build and operate a dedicated manufacturing facility with capacity to produce 100 Rotation Heat Pump units annually. The project will scale microchannel diffusion bonding and introduce a novel electrochemical machining method, enabling wider use of the technology in industry, district heating, data centres and geothermal applications.
By replacing fossil-fuel-based heat generation with electricity in industrial and district-heating applications, GRIP will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support Europe’s climate targets. Greater electrification will also strengthen European energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.
GRIP will industrialise key technologies by applying microchannel diffusion bonding (MCDB) processes at scale and utilising a novel technology. Over ten years of operation, it is expected to save more than 2.5 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, roughly equal to the annual emissions of around 300,000 households or the carbon absorption of approximately 5 million trees.
From successful application to implementation with Spinverse
Spinverse supported ecop in developing a high-quality Innovation Fund proposal, identifying areas that required further evidence or refinement and helping the team strengthen the application against the funding instrument’s evaluation criteria. Spinverse supported ecop in preparing its successful Innovation Fund application by strengthening the proposal and helping the team address the Innovation Fund’s evaluation criteria. Sergei Chekurov led the Spinverse team, with substantial contributions from Mikko Tiira. Following the successful funding decision, Spinverse continues to support GRIP through project management services.
Project Engineer Raul Bastian from ecop technologies GmbH worked closely with Spinverse throughout proposal preparation. This established a strong basis for the ongoing collaboration as the GRIP manufacturing facility moves into implementation. He comments on the collaboration as follows:
The high level of support and keen eye for detail from the team was instrumental in, but not limited to, compiling our successful application. Indeed, this work ethic extended post GA, into the implementation phase where the understanding and ability to quickly identify the right approach from both Sergei and Mikko is helping us progress with clarity and momentum.
Spinverse looks forward to
continuing its work with ecop and supporting the GRIP manufacturing facility as
it becomes a reality.
Photo: ecop
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Janne Kaukojärvi
Senior Sales Manager, Business Development,
M. Sc. (Eng.)
janne.kaukojärvi@spinverse.com
+358 50 528 6197