Toward Net-Zero Industry: Sustainable Processes, Renewable Energy Solutions, and Innovative Thermal Management

Dear Colleagues,

The industrial sector was responsible for approximately 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 (direct and indirect) and 34% of global energy consumption, with a heavy dependence on fossil fuels (83.2% of the total) and a minimal share of renewable energy—less than 1% came from solar thermal and geothermal energy (REN21, 2024). Process heat generation, which accounts for 74% of this sector's energy demand, presents the most significant challenge for decarbonization. Achieving Net-Zero goals as soon as possible is a vital priority, not only because of the environmental impact but because it represents an opportunity to generate tangible economic benefits in the short, medium, and long term, thereby strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of companies.

In this scenario, the industry is called upon to transform its traditional frameworks by adopting innovative solutions. This includes not only the decarbonization of process heat, the utilization of multigeneration systems, and waste heat recovery but also the electrification of processes, waste management, automation, intelligent control, and the application of artificial intelligence in operational optimization. Contrary to prevailing widespread assumptions otherwise, there are currently mature and proven technologies in various sectors and contexts that have demonstrated technical and economic feasibility.

This Special Issue will not only break paradigms but also establish new foundations for a future version of industry that combines sustainability, efficiency, and resilience while also driving the democratization of energy, guaranteeing equitable access, and promoting a transformation toward fairer and more inclusive systems.

Thus, this Special Issue will serve as an interdisciplinary, cutting-edge forum for presenting viable and scalable solutions that can accelerate the industrial transition toward a low-carbon economy. Our approach will focus on both scientific and technological innovation, as well as the creation of strategic and regulatory frameworks that facilitate the adoption of these solutions.

We invite the academic, scientific, and industrial communities to submit original research articles, reviews, and case studies presenting advances and proposals in the following areas:

• Applications of renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, green hydrogen) in industry;
• Advanced technologies for industrial thermal generation and management (e.g., thermal storage, heat recovery, multigeneration);
• Electrification strategies, energy efficiency, and the circular economy in industrial processes;
• Application of innovative fuels and technological solutions for the energy transition;
• Modeling, simulation, and optimization of sustainable industrial processes using artificial intelligence;
• Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), sustainability indicators, and environmental impact assessments;
• Applications of automation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence to energy management;
• Economic, social, and regulatory assessments in the adoption of Net-Zero technologies;
• Case studies and best practices for the implementation of renewable energies in industry.

Dr. Maria Dolores Duran Garcia
Dr. Artur O. Zaporozhets
Guest Editors

Dr. Eduardo González-Mora
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.