This paper presents a spatial model of industrial heat loads and technical recovery potentials in the UK, by recourse to energetic and exergetic analysis methods. The aims were to categorise heat users into broad temperature bands; quantify heat usage and wastage at different temperatures; and to estimate the technical potential for heat recovery based on current technologies (whilst ignoring spatial and temporal constraints). The main data source was the UK National Allocation Plan for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, supplemented by capacity/output and specific energy consumption data for certain heterogeneous sectors. Around 60% of industry has been covered in terms of energy use, and 90% of energy-intensive sectors. The total annual heat use for these sectors was estimated at 650 PJ, with technically feasible annual savings in the region 36-71 PJ. This is in agreement with the only extant estimates for heat recovery from industrial processes, which are 65 and 144 PJ, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.