Renewable Thermal Collaborative

The Renewable Thermal Collaborative (RTC) is a U.S.-headquartered, globally focused nonprofit dedicated to decarbonizing industrial thermal energy use with renewable solutions.

RTC convenes a vibrant community of more than 130 major industrial heat users and leading clean heat solution providers to catalyze peer learning, technical resource development, and policy advocacy that together accelerate renewable thermal technology deployment and industrial decarbonization.

RTC Members include industrial and institutional thermal energy users across sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, consumer packaged goods, paper, healthcare, higher education, building materials, and automotive manufacturing. RTC Solutions Providers include a wide range of clean heat experts, renewable thermal technology developers, financing specialists, consultants, utilities, and more.

RTC Summit 2026

Join us October 21-23 in Arlington, VA for the premier educational event convening leaders across the renewable thermal energy landscape.

Renewable Thermal Vision Report

Finding a Path Forward for Decarbonizing Thermal Energy in the U.S. Industrial Sector

The Thermal Opportunity

Energy used for heating and cooling comprises approximately 50 percent of total global final energy demand and 39 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. In the United States, heating and cooling account for more than 25 percent of total energy use across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors at a cost of $270 billion annually.

RTC collaborates with our Members and Solutions Providers to accelerate industrial thermal decarbonization by identifying and addressing the common technology, policy, and market challenges facing large thermal energy users.

RTC regularly convenes Members and Solutions Providers in educational workstreams focused on renewable thermal solutions including biomethane, electrification, geothermal, solar thermal, thermal energy storage, and more.

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of global final energy is comprised of thermal energy use

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of GHG emissions can be attributed to heating and cooling

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of total energy use in the U.S. comes from thermal energy

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spent annually on heating and cooling costs in the U.S.

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“Renewable energy is critical to Cargill’s commitment to Cargill’s commitment to climate action across our global footprint. Over the last ten years, we have doubled our use of renewables, reaching more than 100 locations around the world. We are eager to work with the Renewable Thermal Collaborative and our partners to advance dialogue, spark innovation, and drive scalable, market-based solutions.”

“Organizations like the Renewable Thermal Collaborative will help create renewable sources that are sustainable, scalable, and cost-competitive. Collaboration within the industry is critical to ensuring that there are solutions available to meet this growing demand for renewable energy sources.”

“The world already has great renewable electricity solutions but if we are going to keep the warming of the planet below two degrees, then we also need great renewable thermal solutions.”

“Roche’s approach has been, and continues to be, to aggressively reduce our energy needs in the first place. We also recognize that there will be thermal energy demand remaining for certain applications even after such efforts will have been implemented. Roche is proud to support the work of the Renewable Thermal Collaborative to enable a truly sustainable thermal energy marketplace to meet these needs.”

“By joining the Renewable Thermal Collaborative we aim to drive a clean heat strategy that addresses the role renewable electricity plays alongside other alternative low-carbon technologies such as green gas, hydrogen and fuel cells, and to drive private and public sesctor partnership to ensure that infrastructure and investment are available to meet ambitious climate targets.”