Recovered heat can support industrial duties, biomass drying or heat-driven cooling in suitable projects. Absorption chillers are an established example of using thermal energy to provide cooling. Their suitability depends on the actual thermal source, cooling duty and site conditions.
Quantity is only one part of the match
A project screen should identify source temperature, available duty and the hours when that heat exists. The receiving process needs an equally specific profile. A large annual heat total may be of limited value if the source and demand do not coincide.
Compare complete alternatives
Our recommended comparison includes equipment, heat exchangers, pumps, controls, heat rejection, water requirements and maintenance. It should also account for any useful service that would otherwise consume the recovered heat. Heat-driven cooling is not free cooling.
- Document the source and sink temperatures across operating conditions.
- Check simultaneous availability of heat and cooling demand.
- Evaluate backup requirements and partial-load operation.
- Include the site’s ambient conditions and heat-rejection constraints.
- Compare lifecycle cost and resource use at the same service requirement.
Think across process boundaries
A generation asset, a cooling system and a biomass process may offer integration opportunities. The right arrangement is site-specific, and sometimes a simpler direct thermal use is more attractive. Start with measured requirements and compare alternatives before choosing equipment.
Nova is interested in thermal-management partnerships for industrial and energy-intensive applications. Initial discussions can focus on nonconfidential duty profiles, site objectives and constraints, followed by a scoped technical evaluation.
Sources & further reading
General educational commentary. External research is not a Nova performance claim or affiliation. Sources reviewed October 1, 2026.