In developed countries, industry and the manufacturing sector consume a large amount of thermal energy for production processes where most of the energy is used for application at low and medium-high temperatures. Due to the growing pressure to reduce climate change, it is necessary to turn to renewable energy sources. The industrial sector in developed countries consumes 32% - 35% of world energy, and therefore this paper describes the possibilities of using solar energy to obtain heat energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. The paper describes the energy consumption in industry, and the increasing presence of solar thermal systems in different types of industries such as food, paper, textile, chemical, etc. The types of the most common heat collectors used in industry and achievable temperatures are discussed. Finally, the integration of solar thermal energy into existing industries in the processes of water preheating,direct heating of the industrial process and the process of steam production is described, as well as the prediction of further development of solar thermal systems.