Takeda and AIT Win DECA Award Industry 2025 for the NEFI Project AHEAD

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and Takeda were honored with the DECA Award Industry 2025 at the Austrian Energy Efficiency Congress for the pioneering NEFI project AHEAD (Advanced Heat Pump Demonstrator). The award recognises the outstanding technological innovation of the first industrial high-temperature heat pump demonstrator, which enables CO₂-free steam generation for pharmaceutical production processes – a milestone for the sustainable transformation of energy-intensive industries.

AHEAD Sets New Standards for Climate-Friendly Pharmaceutical Production

The AHEAD system, installed at Takeda’s production site in Vienna, delivers CO₂-free steam at 184 °C and 11 bar, operates entirely with natural refrigerants, and efficiently utilizes waste heat from existing cooling systems. As a result, the entire steam demand can be covered in a climate-neutral manner for more than seven months a year – corresponding to an annual CO₂ reduction of up to 1,600 tons, or around 80% of previous emissions at the Vienna site. The project was launched in 2022 by Takeda, AIT, and SPH Sustainable Process Heat GmbH and supported through the NEFI – New Energy for Industry initiative by the Climate and Energy Fund.

Voices of the Project Partners

“The award confirms our ambition to set a new standard for sustainable and efficient pharmaceutical production with AHEAD. CO₂-free steam generation is a key step on our path to net zero by 2035,” says Maria Löflund, Head of Takeda’s Vienna site.

“AHEAD demonstrates how high-tech research and industry collaborate to bring climate-friendly technologies to market maturity. The implemented high-temperature heat pump marks an important milestone for the decarbonization of industrial process heat,” emphasizes Andreas Kugi, Scientific Director of AIT.

Scientific Support and Modeling by AIT

Based on the process requirements, AIT developed an optimised system design that combines efficiency, operational reliability, and cost aspects. Since commissioning, AIT has been monitoring the demonstration system as part of comprehensive scientific monitoring. The goal is to develop a detailed system model and an optimised operational strategy to transfer the technology to further industrial applications. For evaluating the decarbonisation potential, a novel approach was developed that combines process requirements, learning curves, optimisation potentials, and statistical data. More about the project: AHEAD – Advanced Heat Pump Demonstrator

About DECA

DECA (Energy Efficiency Service Providers and Contracting Austria) has been the central platform for energy efficiency technologies and energy service providers in Austria since 2013. As part of the Austrian Energy Efficiency Congress, DECA annually awards outstanding solutions that combine energy efficiency, economic viability, and climate protection.

About the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology  

With more than 1,500 employees, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria’s largest research and technology organisation. It focuses on key future-oriented research areas including “Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure” – particularly in the energy, transport, and health sectors and the “Digital Transformation of Industry and Society.” Research & development serves as a central innovation engine for industry, the economy, and society, securing jobs and prosperity and strengthening Austria as a business location. Applied research also delivers solutions to the major challenges of our time.
The Center for Energy focuses its research on three core systems: public energy supply systems, industrial processes, and cities & the built environment. More information about the center: Center for Energy

About Takeda

Takeda is a globally leading, values-based, research-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. Takeda aims to develop and produce life-changing and life-saving medicines for the treatment of rare and complex diseases. In Austria, every process step for innovative medicines takes place at Takeda. Around 4,500 employees contribute to ensuring that medicines from Austria reach more than 100 countries worldwide and that patients in Austria have access to Takeda’s innovative treatments. Takeda has been recognised as a certified Top Employer for its outstanding employee experience and commitment to inclusion and is a pioneer in sustainable and responsible pharmaceutical manufacturing.