Industrial efficiency & electrification

Heavy industry will require coordination to accelerate solutions.

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  • Energy efficiency & electrification
  • Heavy industries (e.g., steel, cement, etc.) will require improved energy efficiency and electrification of processes in order to achieve reduced energy intensity.

Emissions

Global greenhouse gas emissions – share of total (2019).

Background

Many heavy industry processes have high heat requirements that render them difficult to abate.

  • High heat
  • difficult to abate.

Abatement will require company coordination, government support, and technological development.

  • Support
  • and development needed.

Source: Climate Watch; Our Word in Data; IEA; EIA

Current State

Industrial energy intensity has historically improved at a rate of only ~1% p.a. since 2000, lagging intensity improvements in transportation and buildings.

Adoption of new technology has been gradual due to low production equipment turnover rates.

However, some companies are starting to realize the economic benefits of improved energy efficiency in addition to improving their environmental footprint.

Solution Details

Emerging economies present a growing opportunity in the space because they can install lower carbon technology (e.g., monitoring, optimization software, etc.) during first construction of plants.

Opportunities for electrification such as electric arc furnaces, electric boilers, and induction heating are greatest in low- and medium-heat processes.

Other Solutions

Scaling renewables

Scaling renewables

CCUS in electricity & industry

CCUS in electricity & industry