SteamDry partners will gather in Pont‑Évêque, France, on 1–2 July 2026 for the next consortium meeting hosted by Ahlstrom, combining technical updates, collaborative discussions and site visits. The programme will cover the latest developments on superheated steam drying (SSD) piloting, process optimisation, retrofit options and project management, alongside a workshop titled “Linking flexibility and SSD – Conceptualization of system design and scenarios.”
Two days of technical progress
The meeting opens on 1 July with a full technical session including management updates from Work Packages 1 and 2, which are led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and ensure overall project management, administration and coordination in line with the Grant Agreement. These management activities underpin the smooth execution of all technical work and the achievement of SteamDry’s objectives.
Technical presentations will then address key process topics. Work Package 6, led by Wageningen Research, focuses on preventing fibres and air from entering the closed superheated steam loop by combining advanced modelling with experimental work to improve dryer design. Work Package 9, coordinated by VTT, covers piloting of the SSD process in modified pilot dryers, providing essential data on performance, safety and scale‑up needs.
A dedicated session on trial plan review and optimisation for paper, tissue and nonwovens will help align upcoming pilot activities across the consortium and make the best use of the pilot facilities. In the afternoon, partners will hear from Work Package 7, led by the University of Twente, which develops methods and models to remove fibres and air from the loop and maintain steam quality, and from Work Package 8, coordinated by VDEh‑Betriebsforschungsinstitut (BFI), which integrates novel digital technologies, including digital twins, data management and cross‑process automation to maximise energy savings.
The day will also touch on Work Package 5, led by the Austrian Institute of Technology, which refines SSD process requirements for efficient superheating, optimising heat recovery and providing tools that help industry assess the potential of SSD. After the technical sessions, participants will visit the Ahlstrom Innovation Center, followed by an evening networking dinner in Pont‑Évêque to encourage informal exchange.
Flexibility, assessment and system design
On 2 July, the programme continues with Work Package 10, led by the University of Santiago de Compostela, which carries out the environmental and techno‑economic assessment of SSD. This work combines life‑cycle assessment (LCA) and techno‑economic analysis (TEA), and also looks at the flexibility of SSD in different electricity markets, providing a comprehensive view of environmental impact, costs and operational performance.
As part of this work package, the workshop “Linking flexibility and SSD – Conceptualization of system design and scenarios” (Task 4) will outline relevant system concepts and operating scenarios for SSD. The aim is to link flexibility needs with system design choices and provide well‑defined scenarios that can be used in the project’s assessments and future planning.
This workshop is one element within a wider agenda that also includes the development of business cases, up‑scaling strategies and retrofit opportunities. Presentations from Work Package 12, led by Metsä Group, will evaluate business cases for product manufacturers and technology suppliers, assessing deployment potential in the European Union in the short‑ to medium‑term. Work Package 11, coordinated by Valmet, will present the up‑scaling strategy of the developed solution, including market entry options, retrofit concepts and paths towards industrial‑scale implementation of SSD.
Retrofits, communication and site visit
A further session will explore retrofit opportunities for existing drying infrastructure, such as drying hoods, air‑impingement systems and through‑air drying (TAD) equipment, building on insights from the technical work packages and the up‑scaling strategy. This discussion links closely to earlier work in Work Package 3, led by VTT, which defines the transition pathway towards energy‑efficient drying and develops a vision for shifting current dryers to SSD, and Work Package 4, coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology, which designs a green drying process that moves away from fossil energy sources through efficient superheated steam concepts.
The meeting will also address communication, dissemination, intellectual property (IP) and exploitation activities under Work Packages 13 and 14, led by FEUGA. These packages ensure that SteamDry builds a strong project identity, shares results effectively with stakeholders, manages IP and prepares exploitation routes so that project outcomes can be transferred and used beyond the consortium.
A visit to Ahlstrom’s La Gère plant will give partners the opportunity to see industrial operations on site and reflect on how SSD might be integrated into real production environments, complementing the piloting and transition pathway work. The consortium will then hold a General Assembly meeting to review progress across all work packages and confirm next steps, before closing the two‑day event.
