Hybrid Solar and Waste-Heat Synergies for Industrial Decarbonization: From Device Integration to System Deployment

Industrial energy research stands at the threshold of a crucial transition. Combining advanced solar conversion with waste-heat valorization is emerging as a transformative route for deep decarbonization in energy-intensive sectors. Industrial facilities depend on continuous supplies of heat and electricity while simultaneously releasing large amounts of low-grade waste heat. At the same time, solar technologies, from efficient photovoltaics to hybrid photovoltaic–thermal and solar thermoelectric systems, are advancing rapidly in performance, durability, and suitability for industrial environments. The key opportunity now lies in connecting these resources through integrated systems where hybrid solar collectors deliver simultaneous heat and power, solar-driven heat pumps upgrade waste heat, and shared thermal networks pool and redistribute recovered and solar-derived energy across plants or industrial clusters.Bridging the gap between laboratory-scale devices and real-world deployment remains a major challenge. Promising advances demonstrate the feasibility of coupling photovoltaic–thermal and solar thermoelectric systems with heat pumps, thermal storage, and process networks operated through digital control. Yet many existing approaches still treat solar conversion and waste-heat recovery as separate domains, missing significant gains in energy efficiency, exergy, and carbon mitigation. To realize full decarbonization potential, research must link material innovations and device performance with the design and operation of integrated energy architectures that reflect industrial variability, shared infrastructure, and dynamic demand.This Research Topic aims to drive cross-disciplinary innovation where hybrid solar technologies and waste-heat valorization strategies converge to enhance industrial decarbonization. We invite contributions that connect device-level advances with system integration, modeling, operation, and demonstration. Studies are encouraged to report quantifiable performance improvements in energy use, exergy, cost, and carbon emissions at the plant, network, or cluster scale.To build comprehensive insights into hybrid solar and waste-heat deployment, we welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Hybrid solar device concepts for co-generation of heat and power (PVT, CPVT, solar thermoelectrics) with system-oriented performance metrics- Integration of solar-derived and waste heat with industrial utilities, thermal storage, and solar-assisted heat pumps- Modeling and optimization of multi-source heat networks and storage for balancing and dispatch across industrial clusters- Thermal management interactions between waste-heat recovery and device stability or process performance- Digitalization in process energy systems, including heat mapping, digital twins, optimization, and control strategies- Techno-economic, exergy, and life cycle analyses relating materials, devices, and system-scale outcomes- Demonstration cases linking laboratory technologies to operational or cluster-level applicationsSubmissions should focus on system-level performance and measurable integration outcomes. A strong preference will be given to studies quantifying energy, exergy, carbon, and cost impacts within defined industrial or cluster boundaries. Topic editors: Chengjie Li, Mei Wu, Srinidhi Campli, Gang Wang, Dr. Jitendra Satpute Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80046/hybrid-solar-and-waste-heat-synergies-for-industrial-decarbonization-from-device-integration-to-system-deployment