Gerhard Hofer · Carbon Consulting
Energy & Material Flow Modeling for Industrial Decarbonization
Independent Systems Engineering for Complex Energy & Material Decisions
Revealing hidden assumptions, clarifying system boundaries, and turning complex industrial systems into confident technical and investment decisions.
Industrial decarbonization is rarely a single technology decision. It is a system problem shaped by energy flows, equipment constraints, operational realities, and financial trade-offs.
We support organizations facing high-stakes engineering and investment decisions with high-fidelity process modeling and structured scenario analysis, enabling confident choices around retrofit pathways, technology options, and operational optimization.
Our work helps you decide:
- Where energy efficiency improvements have the largest impact.
- Which equipment retrofits are technically and economically viable.
- How to operate with lower emissions without compromising reliability.
- Which decarbonization pathways are economically sound under uncertainty.
>> Progress doesn’t always require new equipment; often it just takes a clearer view of what’s already there. <<
Solid Waste Combustor (Generated with DWSIM ↗︎)
High Temperature Heat Pump (Generated with DWSIM ↗︎)
Moving Bed Heat Exchanger (Generated with DWSIM ↗︎)
Services
Operational & Retrofit Modeling
We build detailed models of industrial energy and material flows to identify efficiency gains, retrofit opportunities, and practical operational improvements.
- Energy and mass flow modeling of industrial systems.
- Heat integration and efficiency optimization.
- Retrofit and technology integration studies.
- Fuel-switching and electrification pathway assessment.
- Operational strategy development.
Decarbonization Scenario Analysis
We compare CO₂ reduction pathways using engineering models and techno-economic analysis, helping teams evaluate tradeoffs before committing capital.
- Strategic modeling for decarbonization planning.
- Comparison of retrofit and low-emission technology pathways.
- Techno-economic analysis.
- Uncertainty analysis for investment decisions.
- Executive-level technical memos and briefing reports.
Independent Technical Review
We provide independent technical review of vendor models, engineering studies, and simulation chains to help de-risk decisions and clarify complex technical claims.
- Validation of models and assumptions.
- Independent review of vendor proposals.
- Reconstruction or simplification of complex process models.
- Focused technical audits.
Representative Project Highlights
A few examples of recent engineering work:
District Heating System Strategy & Expansion Assessment
15–25% lower biomass consumption through coordinated systems optimization.
Expansion Modeling for Paper Plant
A systems analysis showed that expanding production with the existing NGCC would increase operating costs by ~65%, while a biomass retrofit reduced them by ~15%.
Biomass Power Plant Development & Commissioning
Transition support: from engineering design to successful plant startup through risk assessment, commissioning, system validation, and multidisciplinary coordination.
See more Project Highlights.
Working Approach
We deliver high-quality engineering insight with minimal overhead, so you can make decisions faster without drawing internal resources away from core work.
Efficient onboarding
You provide available documentation and operating data; we establish scope quickly and begin work without long lead times.
Independent technical work
Model development and analysis are conducted independently, so you get focused, unbiased engineering insight without internal coordination overhead.
Structured communication
We keep meetings minimal: short alignment calls at the start and conclusion, with concise progress updates during analysis.
Flexible engagement scope
Engagements range from rapid technical reviews to multi-week modeling and scenario studies, depending on the decision you need to make.
The objective is always the same: clear, technically grounded guidance for complex engineering and investment decisions.
Download the GH‑CC Capabilities Overview (PDF)
Engineering Thinking
Holistic Engineering
Does a solution still work once the system interacts with the world around it?
Expanding the System Boundary
Why shifting the boundary often changes the engineering solution.
Plant Health
Why operational performance is rarely determined by a single variable.
Leadership
Gerhard Hofer, PhD
Founder & Lead Process Engineer specializing in industrial thermal systems, process simulation, and decarbonization pathway analysis.
Dr. Hofer’s work focuses on the modeling and evaluation of complex energy systems including:
- Thermal processes
- Fluidization technologies
- Boiler and combustion systems
- Waste-to-energy technologies
- Carbon capture and negative-emission technologies
He has more than a decade of experience in supporting industrial and research clients with process modeling, system optimization, and techno-economic analysis.
Technical experience includes DWSIM, IPSEpro, MATLAB, and custom modeling workflows.
Typical Partners
We support organizations facing important technical and capital allocation decisions by providing independent technical judgment, systems analysis, and specialized modeling where internal capacity is limited or an external perspective is needed.
- Industrial and municipal operators considering facility optimization, retrofit strategies, and decarbonization.
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), and consultancy firms seeking advanced modeling support for complex industrial projects.
- Waste-to-energy and thermal system developers advancing process design, evaluation, and implementation.
- Developers and project sponsors evaluating retrofit, electrification, and low-emission investment pathways.
- Infrastructure investors requiring independent technical diligence and risk assessment.
- Researchers and consultants seeking rigorous simulation support.
Contact
Discuss your project
We currently take on a limited number of engagements to ensure focused, high-quality technical work.
If you are evaluating technology upgrades, reviewing engineering proposals or vendor models, or exploring decarbonization pathways before committing capital, feel free to reach out.
Submit a brief description of your project and the decision you need to make, and we will follow up.
