The integration of solar thermal technologies into the industrial sector represents a significant move toward sustainable energy utilization. This report presents a comprehensive analysis of various methodologies regarding the design, implementation, and operational management of solar thermal plants. The focus of this analysis encompasses a broad spectrum of approaches that are fundamental to optimizing the efficiency and effectiveness of these renewable energy systems. This document presents the most significant outcomes of the second stage of Subtask C: Simulation and Design Tools, specifically Task 64/IV, jointly developed under the framework of the International Energy Agency's Solar Heating and Cooling Programme and SolarPACES. Throughout the four-year execution of the Task, Subtask C brought together 50 participants from academia, applied research, and project developers from 15 countries. The combination of state-of-the-art research, existing technical documentation, and on-the-ground experience of project developers adds value to the outcomes of this analysis.

Solar thermal technologies have been recognized as a reliable option for delivering process heat to industrial processes (Farjana et al. 2018; Sharma et al. 2017), and have been a subject of study in two previous Tasks of the Solar Heating and Cooling Program (SHC), Task 33 and Task 49, and it represents a permanent task in Solar- PACES: Task IV. Despite the efforts and progress achieved to build new knowledge and reduce the entry barriers that solar thermal technologies face in the heat market for industry, the number of solar heat plants coupled with industrial processes is less than 1,000 installations (Weiss and Spörk-Dür 2020). In that context, since 2020, Task 64/IV has started a collaborative effort bringing together the experience from professionals, project developers, and scientists, aiming to address part of the entry barriers that hinder the further development of the market.