traceless® Nominated for dena Energy Award 2026 for Decarbonized Heat Supply
Updated: 2 hours ago
Together with SPH Sustainable Process Heat (Part of Copeland), traceless® has been nominated for the dena Energy Award 2026. The joint project “Industrial Heap Pump for Biomaterial production” is being recognized in the category "Move forward! Integrated Strategies and Measures for Climate Neutrality", which honors holistic climate protection strategies. The nomination underscores traceless®’ commitment to combining sustainable material innovation with the decarbonization of industrial heat supply.
Innovative Process Technology Meets Cleantech
Earlier in 2026, traceless® opened its first large-scale production plant "Neuland" in Hamburg - a first-of-a-kind facility, and the first large-scale implementation of the in-house developed process technology. At this site, plant-based agricultural residues are processed into advanced natural materials based on natural polymers. To ensure the production process itself meets the highest sustainability standards, the construction of the new facility was leveraged to implement an advanced cleantech energy system. This allows to provide utility media, such as process heat and cooling, entirely renewable.
A Pioneering Energy System with SPH
A central component of this decarbonization effort is the implementation of an innovative high-temperature (HT) industrial heat pump, developed by project partner SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH. The single-stage closed heat pump delivers process heat directly into a thermal oil circuit at temperatures of up to 110 °C.
To maximize efficiency, the system utilizes waste heat generated from process-related condensation within other production units, capturing temperatures of 65 to 75 °C. The HT heat pump operates with the natural refrigerant butane (R600), providing an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional high-GWP refrigerants. It also features a custom-developed reciprocating compressor designed for high supply temperatures and temperature lifts.
In total, heat pumps cover 80% of the facility's heat supply, while the electricity drawn from the grid comes entirely from renewable energy sources.
Measurable Environmental Impact
The integration of this advanced heating and cooling system yields significant environmental and operational benefits. Compared to a conventional gas boiler, the system achieves an estimated 78% reduction in energy procurement. Most notably, the decarbonized heat supply results in absolute savings of 1,600 tons of CO2e per year.
The dena Energy Award nomination validates the successful integration of this pioneering and complex energy system with the rigorous demands of industrial-scale biomaterial production. Nominees and winners are publicly announced and honoured at the award ceremony on 9 November 2026 as part of the dena Kongress.
About the dena Energy award
Since 2007, dena has been recognising projects that deliver energy and CO₂ savings, as well as corporate concepts that demonstrate how climate neutrality and industrial transformation can be achieved, through the dena Energy Award (formerly the Energy Efficiency Award).
An independent expert jury comprising representatives from politics, business, academia, and the media selects the nominees and winners. The dena Energy Award is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).
About traceless materials GmbH
traceless materials GmbH is a circular bioeconomy scale-up based in Hamburg. In their first-of-a-kind production plant, they process agricultural industry leftovers into a novel, nature-based material alternative. The team around founder Dr.-Ing. Anne Lamp was previously nominated for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2025.
About SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH
Based in Overath, Germany, SPH Sustainable Process Heat (specializes in the development of high-temperature heat pumps. With its proprietary ThermBooster™ industrial heat pump, the company provides energy-efficient solutions for upgrading low-temperature industrial waste heat to process heat temperatures of up to 180 °C
Learn more on the dena Energy Award site: Nominierte 2026 | dena
