On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the ASTEP consortium held its Final Review Meeting with the European Commission, marking the official conclusion of the project. The meeting took place at the UNED Library premises in Madrid, Spain, with a hybrid format allowing both in-person and remote participation.
During the review, each Work Package leader presented the final results, achievements, and lessons learned from the project to the Project Officer and appointed reviewers. The meeting provided a comprehensive overview of ASTEP’s outcomes and its contribution to the decarbonisation of industrial heating and cooling through solar thermal technologies.
Project Highlights
Over the past six years, ASTEP has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative solar thermal concept that integrates:
- The SunDial solar collector, a novel rotary Fresnel design
- A dedicated Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit for fast-response heat buffering
- A tailored software control application for system optimisation
- The system was validated through two full-scale industrial pilot installations:
🧀 Mandrekas Dairy Factory in Greece, where solar energy supported both heating and cooling needs
🏭 ArcelorMittal Tubular Products in Romania, where solar heat was used for industrial heating applications
As ASTEP officially comes to an end, the consortium reflects proudly on the collaboration, innovation, and progress achieved throughout the project. While the final evaluation from the European Commission is pending, the team celebrates the completion of this impactful initiative and extends sincere thanks to all partners for their dedication and contributions.
