On November 3, 2025, HEINEKEN, in collaboration with Rondo Energy and EDP, announced a landmark project for European industry: the deployment of a 100 MWh Rondo Heat Battery (RHB) at Central de Cervejas e Bebidas Brewery and Malting Plant in Portugal. This initiative, now confirmed as the largest heat battery installation in the global beverage sector, signifies a transformative step for industrial decarbonization and renewable process heat in Europe.

The Rondo Heat Battery charges using intermittent renewable electricity—both from extensive on-site solar generation and grid-delivered green energy—using Rondo’s proprietary energy storage solution. This system converts and stores surplus electricity as high-temperature heat, which is then delivered as reliable, zero-carbon steam around the clock. For HEINEKEN, this shift means dramatically reducing dependency on fossil-fired boilers while slashing CO₂ emissions from major brewing operations. The Lisbon site will receive up to 7 MW of continuous steam output, equipped to handle fluctuating renewable input while sustaining industrial process demands, a feat traditional battery storage cannot achieve at this scale.

EDP, acting as the project’s energy services provider, will supply the steam under a Heat-as-a-Service arrangement, bundling the battery, solar generation, and guaranteed grid renewables for HEINEKEN’s local operation. This innovative commercial model simplifies the adoption of complex electrified process heat technologies, mitigating capital barriers and operational risks for manufacturers. The deployment is financially backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst under a €75 million EU–Catalyst partnership supporting industrial decarbonization in Europe. Both organizations have highlighted the project’s alignment with Europe’s Industrial Green Deal ambitions, setting a precedent for large-scale public–private collaboration to accelerate clean tech adoption on the continent.

According to EIB Vice President Karl Nehammer, this venture embodies the bank’s “Climate Bank Roadmap” strategy, prioritizing solutions like Rondo’s battery for their capacity to balance industry competitiveness with urgent climate targets. Mario Fernandez, Head of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, emphasized the deployment as demonstrating a viable pathway to stable, affordable, and scalable energy transition in manufacturing. The technical advantage of the Rondo Heat Battery lies its ability to convert the lowest-cost electricity—often from surplus midday solar—into a stable, 24-hour heat supply at a levelized cost lower than conventional chemical batteries. By storing excess solar or off-peak grid electricity and dispatching continuous steam at industrial scale, the technology solves a key challenge for European industries wrestling with fluctuating renewable supplies and rising fossil fuel costs.

The strategic location in Iberia positions the region as a competitive manufacturing hub for low-carbon production, leveraging abundant local renewables and onsite installation flexibility. With many European factories possessing untapped rooftop or adjacent land suitable for solar and heat battery infrastructure, the project offers a replicable blueprint for sectors including food processing, paper and pulp, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. BloombergNEF analysts note the growing potential for zero-carbon heat solutions to ‘soak up’ surplus renewable generation, benefit grid stability, and ultimately lower operating costs for energy-intensive industries.

Eric Trusiewicz, CEO of Rondo Energy, added that this first Rondo Heat Battery deployment in Iberia is part of a broader vision: making low-cost, reliable thermal energy available across Europe to drive both emissions reductions and economic growth. Looking forward, similar models are set to catalyze the electrification of heat in European manufacturing, providing a new pathway out of fossil fuel dependence and toward competitive, climate-resilient operations.

This project’s implications extend beyond the brewing sector, serving as a working demonstration of how integrated renewable energy, advanced thermal storage, and innovative business models can deliver large-scale, reliable decarbonization for European industry. With direct support from the EIB and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, and the attention of sustainability strategists across Europe, this installation sets a new standard for public–private industrial partnerships in the region.