Low-grade thermal energy utilization: Technologies and applications

Approximately 50% of annual energy consumption is wasted in the form of low-grade (i.e., temperature) thermal energy, leading to overall low energy efficiencies. In recent years, there has been a growing urgency for deep decarbonization and energy security, sparking increased interest in the utilization of low-grade thermal energy. Research has increasingly focused on a diverse range of technologies and applications for harnessing this energy resource. The Special Issue ‘Low-grade thermal energy utilization: technologies and applications’ served as a platform for presenting state-of-the-art research on the management and utilization of low-grade thermal energy. This vision article reviews the collected articles, and provides commentary on these contributions.