The classification of the sectors used for assessing waste heat potentials of industrial sources is based on the usage of sector-specific company data. In order to ensure compatibility, we used the EU's official classification system for economic activities - NACE classification (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community). This system is used to classify companies, establishments and industries by what kind of activity they mainly perform. In practice, a NACE code tells you the sector or activity of an organisation, and it's divided into broad sections that are further divided into more detailed divisions, groups and classes. 


The NACE documentation and full list of classes is available here. In the next section "Important Waste Heat Sectors" are listed in detail the sectors that were relevant for this project and their grouping method. 


More on NACE classification

NACE is similar in function to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), which was established in the United States and is nowadays uses e.g. in the United Kingdom. The comparability at world level of statistics produced on the basis of NACE is due to the fact that NACE is part of an integrated system of statistical classifications, developed mainly under the auspices of the United Nations Statistical Division. From the European point of view, this system can be represented as follows:



source: NACE REv.2.1 2025 edition