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World’s Largest Steam-Producing Heat Pump Successfully Starts Up at delfort – A Game-Changer for Industrial Decarbonization
Today marks a pivotal moment in the global push toward industrial decarbonization. Italian engineering powerhouse Turboden S.p.A.
By: Robert Buluma
a proud subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has officially announced the successful startup of what is being hailed as the world’s largest steam-producing heat pump.
Installed at the facilities of delfort , a renowned global leader in specialty papers, this innovative system is already exceeding expectations and setting a powerful new standard for sustainable industrial heat generation.
A Breakthrough in Green Industrial Steam
Industrial processes, particularly those in energy-intensive sectors like pulp and paper manufacturing, have long relied on fossil fuel-based boilers to produce the high-temperature steam essential for operations. These traditional systems contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, making decarbonization a major challenge. Enter Turboden's groundbreaking solution: a Large Heat Pump (LHP) integrated with Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) technology.
This cutting-edge setup generates 12 MWth of superheated steam at 3.4 bar(a), achieving temperatures between 150–180°C — levels that were previously difficult to reach sustainably at such scale. By recovering low-grade waste heat from the paper production process itself and upgrading it using CO₂-free electricity, the system produces steam with virtually zero direct CO₂ emissions.
Impressively, the plant is overperforming,
delivering a Coefficient of Performance (COP) that is 10% higher than the guaranteed value. This superior efficiency underscores Turboden's engineering prowess and the reliability of its technology in real-world conditions.
As Paolo Bertuzzi, Managing Director and CEO of Turboden S.p.A., stated in the announcement: “For the industrial and energy sectors, this project stands as clear evidence that large-scale heat pump technologies are a viable and already available decarbonization solution, delivering outstanding performance as a high-efficiency alternative to traditional fossil-based systems.”
Delfort's Sustainability Leadership
delfort, headquartered in Austria but with operations worldwide, specializes in high-performance specialty papers used in packaging, labels, medical applications, and more. The company has long prioritized sustainability, aiming to minimize its environmental footprint while maintaining product quality and reliability.
Fossil-fuel boilers traditionally provided the necessary steam, but delfort sought a transformative alternative: a fully decarbonized steam supply that matches or exceeds the performance of conventional systems. Turboden delivered precisely that a customized steam electrification solution that valorizes the mill's own low-temperature waste heat.
The impact is substantial: the system is projected to avoid approximately 19,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually (Scope 1). This achievement aligns perfectly with delfort's broader commitment to renewable and low-carbon production.
Hannes Kinast, COO of delfort, emphasized the project's significance: “This project marks a significant milestone in delfort’s decarbonization journey. The successful implementation of this efficient and sustainable heat-pump process into our heat generation system clearly proves the potential of this technology. We are proud to be a front runner in our industry. This investment reinforces our ability to deliver high-quality, sustainably produced paper solutions to our customers.”
Overcoming Engineering Challenges
Implementing such an ambitious system wasn't without hurdles. The heat pump had to fit into an existing room with severely limited space, demanding meticulous design for accessibility, maintainability, and optimal performance.
Through intensive collaboration, Turboden's engineers created a tailor-made configuration fully integrated into the paper mill's layout. They also ensured seamless interaction between the LHP and MVR across varying operating conditions, leveraging advanced process expertise and system integration skills.
This level of customization highlights why Turboden excels in complex, high-stakes industrial applications.
Broader Implications for Industrial Decarbonization
This milestone isn't just a win for Turboden and delfort it signals a shift for entire industries. Sectors like pulp and paper, chemicals, food processing, and refining often require steam above 150°C, where electrification has historically been challenging. Turboden's integrated LHP-MVR approach demonstrates that high-temperature, large-scale heat pumps can replace fossil boilers effectively, efficiently, and at scale.
By using CO₂-free electricity (increasingly available from renewables and nuclear sources) and recovering waste heat, these systems dramatically cut emissions while improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs over time.
Nicola Rossetti, General Manager of Turboden’s Heat Electrification Business Unit, captured the bigger picture: “This achievement reflects Turboden’s commitment to delivering concrete results through technically robust and forward-looking solutions. The successful start-up of the world’s largest steam-producing heat pump marks an important step in the electrification of industrial heat at scale. It further consolidates Turboden’s expertise in high-temperature large heat pumps and reinforces our role as a long-term technology partner.”
As part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Green Transformation initiatives, this project reinforces the group's leadership in sustainable technologies, from heat pumps to ORC systems and beyond.
Looking Ahead: A Greener Industrial Future
The successful commissioning at delfort proves that ambitious decarbonization targets are achievable today, not in some distant future. As more industries face pressure to reduce emissions under regulatory frameworks and corporate sustainability goals, solutions like this large steam-producing heat pump offer a replicable blueprint.
Turboden continues to innovate in large heat pumps capable of outputs starting from 5 MWth and temperatures exceeding 200°C, including steam generation. With this world-record project now operational and outperforming specs, the path is clearer for widespread adoption.
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For companies seeking to electrify heat, recover waste energy, and slash CO₂ footprints without compromising reliability, Turboden's technology stands ready. This February 17, 2026, announcement isn't just news — it's a beacon for what's possible in building a low-carbon industrial world.
Source: Turboden
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