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 120 major industrial heat users and leading clean heat solution providers to accelerate renewable thermal technology deployment and decarbonize industry by catalyzing peer learning, developing technical resources, analyzing markets, and advocating for policy.
RTC Members include industrial and institutional thermal energy users across manufacturing sectors such as automotive, building materials, chemicals, consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and pulp and paper. 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.
of global final energy is comprised of thermal energy use
of GHG emissions can be attributed to heating and cooling
of total energy use in the U.S. comes from thermal energy
spent annually on heating and cooling costs in the U.S.
