Decarbonising Process Heat: The Realistic Options
Electricity is the easy part. Most industrial sites have a credible path to lower emissions electricity, whether through the grid decarbonising, on site solar, or contracting. Heat is harder, and it is frequently the larger share of a site's emissions. Processes needing steam or high temperature heat cannot simply be plugged in. Hydrogen CHP appears in most conversations about this, and it is one option among several. Here is how the realistic options compare for an Australian industrial site making decisions now. First: know your heat demand properly Before comparing technologies, characterise what you actually need. The answer narrows the field immediately. What temperature? Low temperature hot water, medium temperature, or high temperature steam. This is the single biggest determinant of what is feasible. What quantity, and when? Continuous or batch, and the load profile through the day and year. How is it delivered? Direct fired, steam, hot water, thermal oil. How firm is t...