Review of ISEC 2024:

photos on this site - photo credit:   Miriam Raneburger

ISEC 2024, the 3rd International Conference on Renewable Heating and Cooling in Integrated Urban and Industrial Energy Systems took place in Graz, Austria,
from April 10-11.

A total of 400 experts* from science, industry and politics from 35 countries attended the conference.

The conference offered a high-caliber audience from research, industry, commerce, the energy sector, public administration, and politics the opportunity to take an in-depth look at the pressing issue of energy sovereignty, which is being driven by climate change and political guidelines. With a focus on global solutions, the conference delved into transformative topics such as the transition to sustainable circular economies, the phase-out of fossil fuels, the coupling of energy sectors, energy storage systems, and the smart electrification of energy supply.

In seven Key-note speeches, 77 oral presentations, 105 poster contributions, and intensive discussions, the experts explored how research findings can be translated into concrete measures for the energy transition.

The international dimension of the ISEC 2024 conference was underscored through collaboration with UNIDO, as well as the participation of Brazilian Deputy Minister Rodrigo Sobral Rollemberg. As Secretary of the Green Economy, Decarbonization, and Bioindustry at the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (MDIC), Mr. Rollemberg emphasized the importance of global networking across scientific, economic, and political realms in combating the climate crisis. During ISEC 2024, he held discussions with Austrian companies regarding future collaboration concerning the decarbonization of the industrial sector.

Thanks to the perfect support of our support partners the Federal Ministry Republic of Austria for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, KlimaAktiv, the Climate- and Energy Fund, Land Steiermark and the City of Graz. Our special thanks also go to our cooperation partners IEA TCP on Solar Heating and Cooling, IEA Energy Storage TCP, Solar Heat Europe (ESTIF), Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centers (GN-SEC), Alliance ALLICE, and REN21.

Further, we would like to highlight the great support of our sponsors Energie Steiermark as Gold Sponsor and the Bronze sponsors WKO Steiermark, AGFW, GREENoneTECH, EQUA, Syncraft, Rabmer Group, Aalborg CSP, BeOPEN, Technology Jetpro, Wilo Group, and KELAG, without whom our conference would not have been possible.

The ISEC conference catalyzes the formation of new collaborations and the initiation of transformative projects to accelerate the exit from the fossil fuel supply.

Planning for ISEC 2026, scheduled for April 15/16, 2026 in Graz, will commence in the coming weeks. We look forward to continuing the dialogue at ISEC 2026!

Warm regards,
Christoph Brunner & Christian Fink
Conference Chairs of ISEC 2024

Conference program - ISEC 2024
Conference proceedings (Abstracts)
Conference proceedings (Full paper)
Oral presentations of ISEC 2024
Poster presentations of ISEC 2024
Welcome - Minister Leonore Gewessler
Impressions of ISEC 2024 (photo credit: Miriam Raneburger)