With the patent secured, QHeat is ready to expand its operations and bring its geothermal heating and cooling solutions to markets across Europe. The timing is especially encouraging as the European Commission is currently in the process of drafting a European Geothermal Action Plan.
"Although our eyes are currently set on Europe, we also have a patent for the Chinese market. We’re set on a trajectory with immense growth potential."
-Erika Salmenvaara, CEO & CO-Founder, QHeat
QHeat has secured a European patent for its heating and cooling technology. This milestone allows the company to pursue a significant position in the fifth-generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC) market over the coming decades.
“Although our eyes are currently set on Europe, we also have a patent for the Chinese market. As such, we’re set on a trajectory with immense growth potential,” says Erika Salmenvaara, CEO of QHeat.
Fifth-generation district heating and cooling is based on the use of renewable and excess heat. It’s the first generation of district heating that can supply both heating and cooling, and it allows the dynamic exchange of energy between connected buildings.
QHeat’s technology connects the 5GDHC network to deep coaxial wells, which can efficiently store heat and release it for use whenever it’s needed. The first example of this type of district heating network is already in use in Espoo, Finland.
This patent sets QHeat apart from competitors developing similar technologies and strengthens its position as a leading innovator in the EU geothermal heating market.
At the end of 2024, the European Council acknowledged geothermal energy as a promising renewable energy source for EU member states. It called for the European Commission to develop a European Geothermal Action Plan to accelerate geothermal development projects across the EU.
"The technology is a powerful contender to existing heating modalities.”
- Miika Rämä, Reseach Team Leader, VTT
“This acknowledgment, along with the EU’s mission to be climate-neutral by 2050, enables technologies such as QHeat to introduce new projects and gain the necessary momentum,” observes Miika Rämä, research team leader in energy transition at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. He and his team worked closely with QHeat in 2023 and 2024 to ensure the concept addresses the European energy market’s current and future needs.
“This technology is not reliant on the availability of a specific heat source and, as such, it has a unique market position. The deep wells can both extract thermal energy from underground and store it from other sources. The technology is a powerful contender to existing heating modalities.”
Rämä believes that overcoming attitudes toward geothermal wells is the only remaining market hurdle.
“Central European countries rely heavily on natural gas and electricity, and there may be concerns about extensive drilling operations and misconceptions about the maturity of the technology. Still, I believe the need for heating solutions based on renewable energy outweighs these concerns.” He adds, “Governments can create incentives to reduce the risks of investing in new renewable resources.”
QHeat challenges traditional centralized energy production by introducing a system where heating and cooling are produced on-site or close to the point of consumption. According to Rämä, this decentralization of energy production facilities is inevitable.
“Large coal plants and other fossil-fuel-based solutions are becoming relics of the past. The future of heating will be more decentralized, likely combining multiple energy sources and technologies.”
With complex technological innovations like QHeat, patenting is often the only way to protect the company’s intellectual property and prevent others from utilizing similar technical approaches.
“A patent grants a company the advantage of market exclusivity.
- Toni Korelin, Managing Partner, European Patent Attorney, Primrose
“For technology companies, patents serve as the strongest protection to ensure returns on their research and development investments,” says Toni Korelin, managing partner and European patent attorney. His patent law firm Primrose assisted QHeat through the six-year patenting process.
He knows that patenting can have a notable impact on market share.
“A patent grants a company the advantage of market exclusivity. The pharmaceutical industry is a perfect example of how this works: when a company first receives a patent for a new medicine, they’re often able to hold their market position until the patent expires and new competitors enter the market with a similar product.”
With this milestone secured, QHeat can now focus on its main mission: helping cities transition to cleaner, more efficient heating solutions across Europe and beyond.
We are currently open to partnerships in Europe. Please contact us for more information.
