Steam Heat Pump Pilot Project | Apparel Impact Institute

Overview

The Steam Heat Pump Pilot Project is a joint initiative between Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) and a group of global brands to accelerate the commercialization of steam-generating heat pumps. This electrification technology was identified by Aii’s Low Carbon Thermal Roadmap as the most cost- and emissions-effective tool for long-term phase out of fossil-fueled boilers. Electrification is a critical part of the sector’s net-zero ambition, and making sure we have commercially viable technologies to do that is crucial.

Objective

With this project, we aim to take our roadmap from the theoretical to the practical and prove - with live cases - the technical, financial, and operational feasibility of steam heat pumps across diverse textile manufacturing facilities in India, China, and Vietnam. By conducting coordinated feasibility assessments and supporting implementation with capex grants, these pilots will generate evidence to guide large-scale commercial adoption by 2030.

Using the learnings from these feasibility studies, we will learn the opportunities and obstacles for these technologies. With that knowledge, we can guide industry efforts to commercialize the technology such that it is ready for scaled deployment when needed..

The outputs of this project will include technical guidance for suppliers seeking to implement the technologies, recommendations for policy and ecosystem development to enable their scale, and a roadmap for continued sectoral collaboration to drive this technology forward.

Why It Matters

Thermal energy, the heat used for dyeing and finishing, accounts for ~80% of textile mill emissions, which in turn account for 50% of the textile sector’s emissions.
We know that steam-generating heat pumps can, theoretically, offer a very efficient solution to electrification, but they have yet to be proven in industrial applications.
Feasibility studies and successful implementation will inform the path to full decarbonization for Tier 2 manufacturing and strengthen brand climate commitments.

Pilot Scope and Phases

Supplier Engagement: Identify and onboard 10 suppliers across key production regions.
Feasibility Studies: Assess technical readiness, renewable energy pathways, and ROI.
Implementation: Support 3–6 pilot installations through brand-funded capital grants.
Case Studies & Commercialization Roadmap: Document learnings, engage with the supplier community to gain support for supplier-led electrification, and define the path to market-scale deployment by 2030.
Ecosystem Development & Engagement: Work with the wider ecosystem to ensure we can achieve scale by 2030.

Governance and Funding

All interested, project-engaged suppliers may participate. A separate group of Aii’s strategic suppliers will be consulted to ensure the technical outputs of the project, and recommend how to scale while meeting the needs of suppliers.
Aii will manage supplier engagement, feasibility assessments, implementation, and development & dissemination of learnings.
Global brands will co-fund feasibility and pilot projects through programmatic and capex funding.
Aii will establish and facilitate a technical committee to review project proposals and recommend grant allocations.
Aii will work with third-party engineers and OEMs to conduct the heat pump installations.

Impact

The project will deliver:

On-site learning opportunities for participating suppliers, as well as written, actionable learnings for all suppliers in the sector.
A chance for suppliers to receive grant funding support for pilot installations of steam-generating heat pumps.
Verified emissions reduction data and learnings from real-world operations.
Market analysis of steam heat pump manufacturers.
A clear commercialization strategy for steam heat pumps in the textile sector.
A collective brand call-to-action to scale vendor availability and renewable infrastructure to enable scaled deployment.