Orcan Energy AG earns this award for redefining industrial waste heat as a strategic resource that strengthens Europe’s competitiveness while accelerating global essential decarbonisation. The company’s partnership-led model enables rapid deployment across hard-to-abate sectors, with strong traction in cement, the marine industry and geothermal as well as conventional power plants. Based on a modular and standardized plug & play approach, the solutions can be easily adapted to varied operational needs. Addressing a major structural challenge, Orcan Energy targets a large market. A McKinsey study showed that the world consumes over 418 exajoules (EJ) - or 116,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) - of final energy each year, mainly by burning fossil fuels and generating heat. The majority of this heat is unused and released to the environment, an immediately available potential to turn the waste heat into clean, baseload capable and cost-effective electricity; representing one of the few technologies that drive energy transition without putting additional burdens on the grid infrastructure. This demonstrates that environmental progress and economic advantage can advance together. Orcan Energy’s solutions deliver resilient, baseload, on-site electricity, supporting industrial stability as demand rises from data centres and digital technologies. The company also shows strategic clarity in navigating Europe’s fragmented regulatory landscape, advocating more uniform conditions while offering energy-as-a-service models that secure cash-flow-positive outcomes from day one. Its modularity enhances resilience, enabling customers to scale, adapt or redeploy systems as operations evolve, ensuring a no-regret pathway to long-term competitiveness and emissions reduction. Beyond traditional hard-to-abate industries, the company improves efficiency in the marine sector and expands its footprint in the geothermal industry, offering essential value where affordable, green and stable electricity is required. Through its technology, strategic partnerships and uncompromising focus on practical decarbonisation, Orcan Energy demonstrates leadership in driving Europe’s industrial transition across the region. The Capital Finance International (CFI.co) Judging Panel congratulates Orcan Energy AG on winning the 2025 Champion of Industrial Energy Efficiency Award (Europe).