To decarbonize industry, we must decarbonize heat

Abstract

Industry is often termed ''hard to decarbonize'' because a vast, inhomogeneous array of processes comprise the sector. But developing new, decarbonized process heating technologies represents a single, broadly applicable pathway to eliminating a large portion of sectoral emissions-and approximately one-fifth of global CO 2 emissions, overall. We begin this perspective with a brief review of the demand for and cost of industrial heat. Then, we highlight key challenges and R&D needs in developing zero-carbon industrial heating technologies. Technologies in four pathways are discussed:(1) zero-carbon fuels, (2) zero-carbon heat sources, (3) electrification of heat, and (4) better heat management. Finally, we identify crosscutting challenges to the development and adoption of zero-carbon industrial heat technologies, the solution to any of which would constitute a significant breakthrough on the path to industrial decarbonization.

Inefficient investments as a key to narrowing regional economic imbalances

“…The combustion of three fuels—coal, natural gas, and oil—generates most of this heat and its associated CO 2 emissions. The heat is then used directly — in furnaces, ovens, cement kilns, and other unit operations — or indirectly, to drive numerous processes like fluid heating, distillation, drying, and chemical reactions ( Thiel and Stark, 2021 ). Natural gas is used in all the industrial subsectors in Europe, covering almost half of the energy needs in ‘textile and leather’ (49%), ‘food and tobacco’ (47%), and more than a third in nonmetallic minerals (38%), machinery (36%), and chemical and petrochemicals (34%) ( Anouk, 2019 ).…”

Techno-economic Analysis of High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage for On-Demand Heat and Power

“…In particular, coupling continuous processes that require heat and power with intermittent electricity generation requires efficient, flexible and economical long-duration (>10 hr) energy storage systems. 1,2 Incumbent storage systems such as batteries, pumped storage hydropower, and hydrogen can be charged with VREs, but are not necessarily efficient or economical when used for long-duration energy storage. [3][4][5] Additionally, these technologies require extra steps to convert the stored energy into heat, resulting in round-trip efficiencies (RTE) below 50%.…”

Techno-economic Analysis of High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage for On-Demand Heat and Power

“…In particular, coupling continuous processes that require heat and power with intermittent electricity generation requires efficient, flexible and economical long-duration (>10 hr) energy storage systems. 1,2 Incumbent storage systems such as batteries, pumped storage hydropower, and hydrogen can be charged with VREs, but are not necessarily efficient or economical when used for long-duration energy storage. 3,4 Additionally, these technologies require extra steps to convert the stored energy into heat, resulting in round-trip efficiencies (RTE) below 50%.…”