Press Release: Advances in Compost Heat Recovery Systems

We’re excited to share a new press release from the TEAPOTS project, highlighting our latest progress in developing Compost Heat Recovery Systems (CHRS) for sustainable, low-tech heating.

In collaboration with Stichting Biomeiler and pilot sites in Greece, Sicily, and the Netherlands, TEAPOTS is treating CHRS as an experimental infrastructures. By combining hands-on field research, sensor-based monitoring, and iterative design improvements, the project aims to bridge the gap between the theoretical heat potential of CHRS and real-world performance. Early results from the University of Utrecht’s “Tolakker” project show that stable airflow and carefully layered feedstock can maintain thermophilic conditions for months, generating reliable low-grade heat.

TEAPOTS is also developing an open-source monitoring kit to standardise measurements of temperature, airflow, and energy output across sites. Workshops with scientists, engineers, and local innovators ensure that knowledge and best practices are shared openly.

These efforts are laying the groundwork for community-led, decentralised heating systems capable of providing renewable heat for agriculture, off-grid housing, and eco-living contexts.