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The global push toward net zero emissions is gaining momentum, with electrification playing a central role in decarbonising sectors like transportation, heating, and power generation.
However, for industries that rely on high-temperature heat — such as steel, cement, glass and chemical production — electrification alone cannot be the silver bullet. These sectors face unique challenges in meeting energy demand and process requirements, requiring solutions beyond grid-scale electrification.
Here we will explore why electrification, while essential, cannot fully address the needs of heat-intensive industries. We’ll discuss alternative technologies, like ammonia, thermal storage, and new industrial processes that can complement electrification and drive decarbonisation at scale.
Electrification has limits in heat-intensive industries
Industries that require high-temperature heat consume massive amounts of energy — often in the range of 300–1,800°C. While electrification is helping decarbonise many sectors, it struggles to meet the energy intensity and specific heat requirements of industries like steel and cement.
For many industries, steam has traditionally been used to distribute heat efficiently across processes. However, electrifying steam production, or replacing it with other high-temperature solutions, poses significant challenges:
Power demands: Electrifying an industrial plant requires massive power inputs. Retrofitting these plants for electrification could take years and would likely put a major strain on local grids.
Grid constraints: Upgrading grid infrastructure to handle the demand from heat-intensive industries is expensive and slow, which is why alternative solutions like localized energy production and storage are essential.
Ammonia as an alternative heat source
Ammonia has emerged as a promising candidate for decarbonising industrial heat. Unlike hydrogen, which requires energy-intensive storage and transport systems, ammonia can be stored easily at lower pressures and temperatures, making it a practical solution for industrial applications.
Why ammonia works for industrial heat:
High energy density: Ammonia provides a stable, energy-dense fuel that can be burned to produce high-temperature heat for industrial processes.
Flexibility with renewables: Ammonia’s ability to scale with intermittent renewable energy sources makes it ideal for integrating into industrial hubs that rely on wind and solar power. Ammonia-based systems could potentially ramp from idle to full production in less than a nanosecond, offering high compatibility with variable power sources.
While ammonia combustion or cracking technologies are still being refined, the potential for ammonia to decarbonise industries like steel and cement production is significant. There is some excitement about ammonia being directly used to reduce iron ore in steelmaking, bypassing the need to crack ammonia into hydrogen first.
The role of thermal storage in solving intermittency
Thermal energy storage (TES) is another critical component in decarbonising industries that require continuous, high-temperature heat. TES technologies can store excess renewable energy during off-peak hours and release it when energy demand spikes or when renewable power generation is low.
Notably, thermal storage can reduce the immediate demand for electricity during peak heat usage, making it an attractive solution for industries with variable heat requirements. By incorporating thermal storage, industries can decouple their operations from grid constraints and better manage energy loads.
Emerging TES technologies include:
Phase-change materials (PCMs) that absorb and release large amounts of heat during state transitions (e.g., from solid to liquid).
Molten salt systems that can store heat at high temperatures for use in industrial processes.
Solid storage systems, like sand or bricks, that can retain heat over long periods.
Combining TES with ammonia or hydrogen fuels allows industrial plants to operate more efficiently without overloading the grid or requiring massive power inputs.
Retrofitting vs. greenfield solutions
For many industries, building entirely new greenfield sites with integrated clean technologies isn’t always feasible. Retrofitting existing plants with decarbonisation technologies — such as ammonia-based heat systems — provides a more immediate, cost-effective solution.
Retrofitting existing systems to run on renewable sources, while maintaining older systems as backups, is a viable pathway forward. However, this hybrid approach presents challenges in:
Capital costs: Retrofitting is expensive and requires balancing the cost of new technologies with the maintenance of legacy systems.
Operational complexity: Running both new and old systems can complicate operations and maintenance, as industries must manage multiple energy inputs and outputs.
Yet, retrofitting could be a key bridge solution, allowing industries to start decarbonising while more advanced solutions mature.
Balancing electrification and alternatives for long-term decarbonisation
The debate over electrification versus alternatives like ammonia and thermal storage will continue as industries assess the best paths toward decarbonisation. We believe the energy transition requires a balance of solutions that work together to meet both immediate and long-term needs.
Electrification alone cannot decarbonise high-temperature industrial processes, but combining electrification with solutions like ammonia and thermal storage offers a path forward that addresses both power demand and process heat requirements.
Looking forward
We cannot hit net zero though electrification alone. Ammonia, thermal storage, and new industrial processes provide viable alternatives that, when combined with electrification, can meet the energy demands of heat-intensive sectors.
By taking a mixed approach, we can accelerate the energy transition and ensure that heavy industries are not left behind in the global push to reach net-zero emissions.
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