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Metalot Future Energy Lab is involved as a project partner in Heat4Buildings, an innovative OPZuid project that develops practical and scalable heating solutions for homes, neighborhoods, high-rise buildings, and business parks. The project focuses on lowering energy costs, reducing grid load, and accelerating the heat transition with low-carbon and circular technologies.
Within Heat4Buildings, Metalot is building on the results of the TSE project “Met energie de boer op” (Taking energy to the farm). In two specific regions, a complete Holon (local energy system) is being developed and prepared for implementation:
Holon Altena-Oost (municipality of Altena)
Here, the focus is on making HAK's gas consumption more sustainable (approximately 3.5 million m³ of gas annually). Together with partners such as SPIE, ZEnMO, ZLTO, and local entrepreneurs (including Oerlemans, Bostik, and Altena Potatoes), a model is being realized for so-called ‘cluster 6’ companies: locations with limited energy grid capacity where hydrogen and grid reinforcement do not offer a direct solution. IronPower technology plays a key role here as a safe, flexible, and CO₂-free energy carrier for heat.
Holon Cranendonck (Brainport region)
In Cranendonck, a small industrial estate (Meemortel, including Vlassak) is being linked to residential development and Nyrstar’s large PV installation. Green hydrogen from PV is used to reduce iron oxide back to iron powder, creating a fully circular IronPower chain within a radius of 3 km. This serves as a blueprint for SME business parks and new residential areas with limited energy infrastructure.
IronPower technology makes it possible to store sustainable electricity in iron powder, convert it into high-temperature heat (up to approximately 700 °C) in a CO₂-free manner, and easily transport the residual product (iron oxide) for reduction using green hydrogen. In doing so, Iron Power offers a practical solution for locations where green electricity or hydrogen are not (yet) sufficient. Within Heat4Buildings, the entire chain – combustion, reduction, and logistics – is being further developed and tested in a regional context.
Metalot applies the ‘Concurrent Design’ method (as used by ESA, NASA, and TNO). In intensive sessions with all stakeholders (companies, governments, grid operators, experts), technical, economic, legal, and societal aspects are worked out simultaneously. This prevents late surprises and ensures widely supported implementation plans. At the end of the project, two operational Holons will be ready in which various sources, storage forms, and the Iron Power chain can be simulated and partially implemented.
Heat4Buildings is a three-year program in which approximately twenty organizations collaborate on affordable, scalable, and integrated heat solutions for the built environment. The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), OPZuid 2021-2027, and the Province of North Brabant.
You can find more information about the project on the official project page: heat4buildings.nl
