The EU has set an ambitious goal for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The transition towards a green and sustainable society is underway.
Energy-intensive industries such as the ceramics and glass sector account for a significant share of Europe’s industrial energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Decarbonizing these sectors is therefore essential to achieving the European Union’s climate and industrial competitiveness objectives. While electrification will play a key role, additional solutions are needed to address high-temperature industrial processes where direct electrification remains challenging.
INDTEGRATE, a Horizon Europe Innovation Action that addresses this challenge, was officially launched. The project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of industrial companies, technology developers, research organizations, universities, and innovation experts from across Europe to accelerate the integration of Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell (SOEC) technology into energy-intensive industries. By combining renewable electricity, industrial waste heat recovery, advanced digital technologies, and green hydrogen production, INDTEGRATE aims to demonstrate a practical and scalable pathway towards industrial decarbonization. The project will develop a suite of advanced digital tools, including reduced-order models, Process and Electrolyser Digital Twins, to support the design, optimization and operation of hydrogen production systems in the glass and ceramics sectors.
Building on these digital capabilities, INDTEGRATE will engineer and validate a modular 220 kW SOEC system combining renewable electricity and industrial waste heat recovery to produce green hydrogen more efficiently. Through pilot demonstrations in operational industrial facilities, INDTEGRATE will assess the technical performance, operational flexibility and economic viability, while supporting the wider adoption of hydrogen technologies through stakeholder engagement, skills development, training activities and a roadmap for large-scale replication across Europe.
Kick-Off Meeting Overview and Outcomes
Hosted by the project coordinator, KERIONICS S.L. (Spain), the kick-off meeting marked the official start of INDTEGRATE and brought together representatives from all partner organizations to establish a common vision and implementation strategy for the next three years.
During the meeting, consortium partners presented their respective roles and responsibilities and discussed the project’s technical, managerial, and communication activities. Particular attention was given to the development of the SOEC system, digital twin technologies, energy management solutions, and the preparation of the industrial pilot demonstrations in Spain and Slovenia. Partners also exchanged views on expected impacts, collaboration mechanisms, risk management procedures, and opportunities for creating synergies with other European initiatives supporting industrial decarbonization and hydrogen technologies.
The discussions confirmed a shared commitment to delivering innovative, industry-driven solutions capable of accelerating the adoption of green hydrogen in energy-intensive sectors while supporting Europe’s broader sustainability ambitions.
Next Steps
Over the coming months, the INDTEGRATE consortium will focus on the detailed design and development of the project’s technological building blocks, including digital modelling tools, energy management systems, and SOEC integration strategies. Preparatory activities for the pilot demonstrations will also begin, alongside stakeholder engagement, dissemination, and collaboration activities designed to maximize the project’s impact.
The first technical results and project developments are expected to be shared through the project’s communication channels and stakeholder engagement activities, contributing to the advancement of sustainable hydrogen solutions and the decarbonization of European industry.