Austrian cleantech company ecop Technologies has received funding of up to €8.5 million ($9.28 million) from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator to support the production of its rotary heat pump technology designed for industrial applications such as district heating.
Ecop’s innovative heat pump design uses centrifugal force and a mixture of noble gases under high pressure to enable highly efficient heating.
The EIC Accelerator, which aims to support innovations that have the potential to create new markets or revolutionize existing ones, recognized the significant decarbonization potential of ecop’s unique heat pump design.
“The EU innovation ecosystem has been an essential source of support for ecop in developing our technology and business,” said Fabian Sacharowitz, CEO of ecop. “With this funding, we can complete the development of our new rotor design and take the next step towards scaling to make our heat pump solution more widely available and ultimately enable more companies and municipalities to generate affordable and low-carbon energy.2-free heat for the sustainable energy supply of your company.”
Of the total funding awarded to ecop, 2.5 million euros (2.73 million US dollars) are grants. The remaining 6 million euros (6.56 million US dollars) are provided as equity through the EIC’s investment arm, the EIC Fund.
Ecop is one of 68 companies supported by the EIC Accelerator. A total of 411 million euros (449.1 million US dollars) is available. More than 960 deep-tech startups and small companies applied.
“With this funding, we can complete the development of our new rotor design and take the next step towards scaling to make our heat pump solution more widely available and ultimately enable more businesses and communities to generate affordable and CO2-free heat for the sustainable energy supply of your company.”
Fabian Sacharowitz, ecop
Heat pump innovation
Ecop’s innovative rotary heat pump differs from conventional technologies in that it uses a rotating system that compresses the working gas using centrifugal force, eliminating the need for phase changes. As the gas moves away from the axis of rotation, it is compressed and heats up, releasing the heat through a heat exchanger. As it moves back toward the axis, it cools and absorbs heat, creating a continuous, efficient cycle.
This approach increases efficiency by eliminating the energy losses associated with phase changes, achieving high compression with reduced mechanical effort, and improving heat transfer through consistent and controlled temperature changes.
According to ecop, its heat pump, which uses industrial waste heat and ambient air as a heat source, has a COP between 4 and 7 and can produce output temperatures of up to 200 °C (392 °F), depending on the application and source temperature. In comparison, most conventional heat pumps have a COP of up to 5 and can deliver temperatures of up to 80 °C (176 °F).
Presentation of the technology
Ecop first developed a proof of concept for its rotary heat pump technology in 2014 and built its first prototype of the 700 kW system (199 TR) between 2016 and 2018. In 2019, the company launched the first pilot project, with the system achieving output temperatures of up to 90 °C (194 °F).
Since then, ecop has continuously developed the technology and recently launched the third generation of its rotary heat pump. This latest version will be a central component of the first German geothermal energy storage facility in Meldorf.
The heat storage system is designed to be supplied directly with waste heat from industry, provided sufficient quantities are available. If the heat source is insufficient – either in terms of temperature or quantity – two rotary heat pumps from ecop raise the source temperature to 80 °C.
“Heat storage is one of the key technologies for the heat transition,” says David Sauss, project manager at the Steinbeis Innovation Center enegieplus, which oversees the system. “Until now, it has been a major challenge to fill them in an ecological way and use them efficiently. The rotary heat pump solves both problems and therefore fits perfectly into the project.”
The plant in Meldorf is expected to be operational in 2025, and ecop plans to start series production of its heat pump technology in 2026.
