Case Study: Smileat and Suncom Energy

Concentrated Solar Thermal Heat for Sustainable Baby Food

Background & Context

Smileat, based in Spain, is a pioneering producer of 100% organic baby food. Facing increasing diesel fuel costs and mounting pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, Smileat sought a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil‑based process heating. They needed a solution to power high‑temperature processes up to 175 °C efficiently, reliably, and affordably.

Suncom Energy, a Dutch SME founded by Henk Arntz, headquartered in Houten, Netherlands. Suncom has developed the SunFleet, a modular Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) system that delivers high temperature heat directly—bypassing electricity conversion inefficiencies. Their compact CST reflectors are tailored to meet industrial heat demands at scale, using readily recyclable materials and offering thermal energy storage.

Suncom Energy’s innovation earned the Industry Innovators Award 2022 in the Netherlands, recognising their breakthrough scaled‑down CSP suitable for food, pharma, chemicals, greenhouses and more. Judges praised its low‑land footprint, cost competitiveness (up to 50 % cheaper than PV), and simplicity of thermal storage.

Project Scope & Deployment

In early 2025, Suncom commissioned its first SunFleet H300 installation in Spain, deployed at Smileat’s production site in Jerez de la Frontera. This marked Suncom’s entry into commercial operations and Smileat’s commitment to clean industrial heat. The installation is structured under a heat‑as‑a‑service (HaaS) model, reducing the upfront capital burden for Smileat.

The SunFleet delivers solar‑generated heat at approximately 175 °C, replacing about 80 % of Smileat’s fossil‑fuel‑based heating, notably curbing its diesel consumption by some 20,000 litres per year.

Technical & Operational Highlights

• SunFleet H300 System: A field of compact parabolic reflectors concentrating sunlight onto a thermal receiver, connected to Smileat’s existing steam line via heat exchanger.
• Thermal Storage Integration: Suncom’s design includes inherent thermal storage, enabling stable heat delivery during cloudy periods or nighttime, achieving dispatchability without batteries.
• Plug‑and‑play modular setup: Designed for easy integration and replication across additional sites and industries.

Key Benefits to Smileat

1. Cost Savings

By replacing 20,000 L of diesel annually, Smileat avoids rising fuel costs. With diesel prices in Spain averaging €1.20–€1.40/L in 2025, this equates to savings of roughly €24,000–€28,000 per year in fuel expenses alone. These savings are amplified by reduced operational complexity.

2. Carbon Emissions Reduction

Replacing diesel heat reduces over 50 tons of CO₂‑equivalent emissions annually—a meaningful reduction for a medium‑size food production facility. This demonstrates significant progress toward EU’s industrial decarbonisation goals under the Green Deal and REPowerEU initiatives.

3. Operational Resilience & Energy Security

The SunFleet coupled with thermal storage provides consistent, dispatchable heat, enhancing reliability and future‑proofing against fluctuations in fuel markets and grid instability. No dependency on grid electricity or volatile fuel.

4. Sustainability & Brand Value

Smileat’s core brand values—organic, traceable, sustainable—align directly with Suncom’s solar heat solution. The project reinforces Smileat’s ESG credentials and resonates with consumers and B2B partners alike. It also supports compliance with upcoming EU regulations on Scope 1 emissions and clean energy sourcing.

5. Scalability & Replicability

Suncom’s modular SunFleet technology allows Smileat to replicate the solution across other Spanish or EU production sites easily. The system’s flexibility suits a range of industrial heat needs, making it a model for food producers, small manufacturers, or agri‑businesses.

Why Suncom Energy was the right fit

• Dutch Innovation with European Reach: Suncom is a Netherlands‑based company with international ambition. The project at Smileat reflects successful cross‑border collaboration backed by Invest International as an impact investor championing Dutch energy innovations.
• Award‑winning Solution: Their Industry Innovators Award from TKI Energie & Industrie underscores the industry’s confidence in their technology and market fit.
• Match to Industrial Heat Needs: SunFleet’s ability to supply high‑quality heat above 150 °C efficiently and reliably addresses a gap often unmet by conventional electrification solutions.

Figures at a Glance

Strategic Impact & Outlook

This collaboration between Smileat and Suncom Energy marks a bold step toward industrial decarbonisation in the food sector. It demonstrates how scalable CST technology can deliver high‑temperature heat cleanly and reliably—an essential requirement that electrification alone cannot meet cost‑effectively above 150 °C.

For Smileat, the project delivers immediate economic benefits, boosts ESG standing, and serves as a launching point for future clean‑heat expansion. For Suncom, the installation serves as a proof‑point: a commercial rollout in Spain validating their model, which they aim to scale across Europe toward their goal of becoming the continent’s leading provider of renewable industrial heat by 2030.

Moreover, the financial model ’heat‑as‑a‑service’ allows companies to adopt renewable industrial heat without heavy CapEx, accelerating the transition for SMEs and mid‑sized facilities that traditionally rely on fuel boilers.

Conclusion

Suncom Energy’s SunFleet H300 system delivered a tailored, efficient thermal solution that allowed Smileat to replace 80 % of its diesel‑based process heat with solar heat at ~175 °C. The result is a reduction of over 50 tons of CO₂ annually, cost savings of tens of thousands of euros, and enhanced operational stability, all while reinforcing Smileat’s sustainability ethos.

Together, this project demonstrates a replicable blueprint for the food industry and beyond, where clean, dispatchable heat becomes a competitive advantage rather than a compliance burden. As Europe accelerates toward net‑zero goals, industrial solar thermal stands out as a pragmatic, high‑impact lever and Smileat’s case with Suncom Energy shows the way forward.