How Canadian solutions can cut emissions, ease grid constraints, and lower costs by turning wasted heat into reliable energy.
Every year, hundreds of terawatts of energy are lost as unharnessed heat from industry, buildings, and urban infrastructure. Capturing and reusing this “waste heat”—especially when paired with District Energy Systems (DES) and Thermal Energy Storage (TES)—can reduce carbon emissions, strengthen energy security, and deliver major operating savings (McKinsey estimates up to €140B globally). This study, undertaken by Inform Energy Solutions, and funded by the BC Net Zero Innovation Network and the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC), maps market-ready technologies, adoption trends, and opportunities in Metro Vancouver and beyond.
While few heat recovery and TES technologies are designed, manufactured, or assembled in Canada, some notable examples directly support the recovery of local waste heat sources, including:
- SHARC Energy: Raw sewage heat recovery systems
- Vitalis: CO2 high-temperature heat pumps
- Combustion & Energy Systems: Flue gas economizers
- CIMCO: Industrial heat pump solutions
This table summarizes the technologies, providers, and project examples identified in the study. The information can be used to assist partners in identifying potential collaborations and investigations.
Foresight has also partnered with students at the Schulich School of Business to analyze the business case for wastewater energy transfer systems in district energy networks. The report highlights the financial, environmental, and operational benefits of adopting these solutions.
Why It Matters
Modern DES can tap local, low-grade heat sources—sewage, cooling systems, data centres, and flue gas—and use TES to shift loads, reduce peaks, and improve resilience, all while lowering GHGs and operating costs. Metro Vancouver is already emerging as a North American leader in these approaches.
What You'll Learn
This study explores which waste heat recovery and TES technologies are market-ready in Canada, where adoption is already happening, and the policies, business models, and utility economics that unlock deployment. It also identifies opportunities to demonstrate new projects and build a stronger foundation for low-carbon district energy systems in Metro Vancouver and beyond.
Key recommendations include:
- Demonstrate local waste heat sources in Metro Vancouver to meet heating and cooling demand in medium- to high-density areas.
- Prepare GIS-based thermal mapping to match supply with demand and support local energy planning and heat zoning.
- Coordinate with BC Hydro to explore how DES with TES can help relieve local grid constraints.
Download the full report to explore Canada’s waste heat recovery and thermal storage technologies, adoption trends, and recommendations in detail.
