Electrifying Industry: Key to Decarbonization

Industrial heat: a key issue

A large part of industrial energy is used to produce heat, mostly from fossil fuels. Yet, almost half of this heat demand is for temperatures below 200°C, common in sectors like food, textiles, plastics, and machinery manufacturing.

The good news is that efficient and mature electric technologies already exist, but they are still not widely used.

Industrial heat pumps: efficient and green 

Heat pumps, usually used in houses, are now very effective in industry too. Instead of producing heat, they transfer it, which makes them 3 to 5 times more efficient than traditional systems.

Modern industrial heat pumps can reach 180°C, enough for 37% of industrial heat needs, such as pasteurization, drying, or distillation. Their power can reach up to 50 MW, much higher than home models.

Using them could reduce GHG emissions from industrial heating by 78%, and up to 99% by 2050. They also help the electricity grid by working when power is cheaper or cleaner.

Thermal energy storage: flexible and efficient

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) keeps heat or electricity to use it later. It helps integrate renewable energy, supports grid flexibility, and improves heating and cooling systems in industry.

TES is already technically ready and a perfect match for heat pumps in the clean energy transition.

Barriers to overcome

Despite their benefits, these technologies are still not widely used. Reasons include lack of awareness, few early adopters, high upfront costs, and unstable electricity prices.

More information on the World economic forum blog