Home / Research & pilot plants
Engineering for pilot and demonstration plants
We help research consortia and technology owners translate research results into engineered pilot and demonstration plants. Moving a process into a pilot or demonstration unit requires engineering that connects experimental requirements with equipment, safety, cost and the host site; IPE helps define and deliver that engineering scope.
Consortium contribution
What IPE can deliver in a consortium
The tasks we can take on, and the deliverables they produce. The actual role in each proposal is agreed with the coordinator and written into the work plan.
| Task in the project | IPE contribution | Typical deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Design basis and scale-up | Translating laboratory and pilot results into a design basis for a larger unit, with process simulation where useful | Design basis, mass and energy balances, process flow diagrams |
| Pilot and demonstration unit engineering | Process, mechanical, piping, steel, electrical and control design of the unit, including containerised or modular units | Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), layout and 3D model, equipment specifications, fabrication documents |
| Integration at the host site | Interfaces with the host plant or test site: tie-ins, utilities, foundations, controls | Interface list, tie-in and installation documents |
| Safety and permits | Safety inputs, participation in hazard and operability studies (HAZOP), and permit documents for pilot operation in Slovakia | Safety documentation, permit applications for Slovak sites |
| Cost and replication | Capital and operating expenditure (CAPEX/OPEX) estimates at pilot and industrial scale, using reference designs from our project archive | Cost estimates and replication inputs for the exploitation plan |
| Procurement and construction | Procurement support and construction supervision; construction of units only where the project assigns it to IPE, as proposed in CO2-THERMOS | Procurement packages, supervision reports, unit delivery as agreed |
Evidence
Relevant project experience, with status
Each row shows the project context, what IPE contributed, the project status and where the evidence is shown. We do not assign technology readiness levels (TRL) to past projects; a TRL appears only where a project states it as its target.
| Technology or project context | IPE contribution | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO2-THERMOS, Horizon Europe: CO2 capture and solar-driven conversion of CO2 to CO for metal-ore reduction | Proposed: design and construction of the CO2 capture unit and the CO/CO2 separation unit for the project's prototype at CERTH, Greece | Grant agreement in preparation; target TRL 6 planned | Project status below |
| ROKOSAN: liquid organic fertiliser from poultry feathers | Study (2012), concept and modular plant design, relocatable container units, technical support for a verification unit | Container units built in Slovakia and China, 2012–2018 | Reference list; model below |
| ENERGEA: containerised biodiesel plant in eight modules | 3D detail design of steel and mechanical parts, module integration, supervision of module production, testing and shipment | Modules shipped to Australia, 2006 | Case; photo below |
| Malai Biomaterials Design: heat-pump drying unit, Kerala, India | Electrical design and technical file to EN 60204-1 | Unit assembled and tested before shipment, 2021–2022 | Reference list |
| SIAD: industrial CO2 recovery from fermentation, Leopoldov | Documentation audit, approval inputs, engineering for trial and permanent operation; permits obtained acting for SIAD | Temporary-use permit for trial operation, 4 August 2023; air-protection consent for permanent operation, 30 January 2024 | Case |
| ENVIRAL: second-generation bioethanol plant, Leopoldov | Building-permit documentation, check of the licensor's basic engineering, tender packages | Not built: the project was stopped in 2018 | Case |
Horizon Europe · grant agreement in preparation
CO2-THERMOS
CO2-Thermal Harvesting Electrochemical Reduction for Metal Ores from the Sun
CO2-THERMOS is a proposed research and innovation action under Horizon Europe (topic HORIZON-CL4-2026-01-MAT-PROD-31, efficient capture, purification and utilisation of CO2, Processes4Planet partnership), a consortium of thirteen partners from eight countries, coordinated by Imperial College London. The proposal was evaluated with the maximum score of 15 out of 15 (Evaluation Summary Report: excellence 5.00, impact 5.00, quality and efficiency of the implementation 5.00; threshold 10). The requested EU contribution is EUR 6,970,797 for the consortium, of which EUR 676,497.50 (9.7 %) for IPE; the final amounts are set in the grant agreement. Grant agreement in preparation, with the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). The planned duration is 42 months.
IPE's proposed role. In the proposal, IPE's role is to design and build the CO2 capture unit and the CO/CO2 separation unit for the project's integrated prototype at CERTH's test site in Greece, and to take responsibility for delivering these processing units, for validating the CO2 capture and purification train and for commissioning the CO/CO2 separation unit. IPE is a consortium partner. The project's planned target is technology readiness level (TRL) 6, demonstration in a relevant environment.
Grant agreement no. 101345926. Grant agreement in preparation. The roles above are proposed, not yet contracted. The project will be listed on CORDIS once the agreement is signed.
Consortium
- Imperial College LondonUnited Kingdom · coordinator
- DAY ONEItaly
- EPFLSwitzerland
- ETH ZürichSwitzerland
- Johnson MattheyUnited Kingdom
- Lomartov Applied Innovation EngineeringSpain
- Solar FlowUnited Kingdom
- RPOW ConsultingSpain
- MembrasenzSwitzerland
- Technische Universität BerlinGermany
- CERTHGreece
- DioxycleFrance
- Industry & Project EngineeringSlovakia
For coordinators and evaluators
Partner facts
The facts a consortium needs for Part A and for the capacity section of Part B.
- Legal name
- Industry & Project Engineering s.r.o.
- PIC
- 873562601
- Type
- Private company (SME), Slovakia, founded 2006
- R&D status
- Certified as an entity competent to carry out research and development by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, no. 2024/18156:2-E1230 of 3 October 2024, valid for six years
- Quality
- EN ISO 9001:2015, SGS, certificate SK07/0134, first certified in 2007
- Networks
- Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), member since 2026
- Horizon Europe
- CO2-THERMOS, grant agreement no. 101345926 in preparation
- Shareholders
- Slovakia Technology Investments a.s. (51 %), TECHNIS, s.r.o. (49 %)
Software and infrastructure
Process simulation (Aspen Plus), 3D plant design (AVEVA E3D, PDMS, CADWorx), pipe stress analysis (CAESAR II), structural design (Revit, Advance Steel, SCIA), electrical design (ELCAD), 3D laser scanning (by IPE or a scanning partner) and Navisworks model review. Our project archive since 2006 provides reference designs for cost and layout estimates.
Other proposals
IPE takes part as engineering partner in further Horizon Europe and Circular Bio-based Europe proposals. They are listed here only once they are funded.
Preparing a proposal?
Tell us the call and topic, the coordinator, the technology and the demonstration you are aiming for, the role you see for IPE and the proposal deadline. Our PIC is 873562601.