Space heating and hot water generation account for about half of the global energy consumption in buildings. Nearly two-thirds of heating energy comes from fossil fuels. In 2022, heating and hot water generation directly and indirectly emitted around 4.2 gigatonnes of CO₂, representing more than 80 percent of the building sector’s CO₂ emissions.

“The Paris climate goals require a very conscious use of available resources. For heat supply, this means using as much available energy as possible and supplementing it as needed,” explains Dr. Dietrich Schmidt from the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE.

Heat pumps utilise existing environmental heat and, with the help of electricity, raise it to a higher temperature level. As the required electricity is expected to be generated CO₂-free in the All Electric Society, heat pumps are a crucial component in decarbonising the heating system.

The global heat pump market is expected to expand at an annual growth rate of 11.8 percent, increasing from 90.1 billion US dollars in 2024 to 157.8 billion US dollars by 2029.
(Source: MarketsAndMarkets)

Supporting the Electricity Grid

In addition, heat pumps help balance the energy system and can support the electricity grid. Since heat can be stored more easily than electricity, these systems can be combined with a water storage unit to heat in advance when sufficient electricity is available on the grid and is particularly inexpensive.

“Heat pumps fit well into a climate-neutral energy system, as they can operate in response to electricity supply. Through central grid-friendly control, they can turn on when solar and wind energy provide sufficient power. This contributes to smoothing out peaks in demand and supply in the electricity grid. This flexibility is a key component for a future energy system,” says Dr. Dietrich Schmidt.

Improving Efficiency

The primary goal in advancing heat pump technology is to increase efficiency. A key factor in this is drive technology: by improving the power electronics of the inverters, which control the compressor and, depending on the type, the fan, the overall efficiency of a heat pump can be enhanced. The use of silicon carbide semiconductors in the drive inverters can reduce losses in the entire drive system by up to 15 percent. Additionally, various manufacturers offer integrated power modules that manage the energy flow to the inverters. These modules include power semiconductors as well as many passive discrete components – a typical power module replaces between 45 and 100 discrete components. The advantage of this solution is a smaller footprint and significantly shorter development times.

Compression via Rotation

In addition to “classic” compressor heat pumps, alternatives are also being developed: conventional heat pumps use the two-phase Rankine cycle. In contrast, the heat pumps from the Vienna-based start-up Ecop utilise the Joule cycle, where the working fluid does not undergo a phase change and remains in a gaseous state. Compression is achieved through centrifugal force: the working gas of the heat pump circulates in a closed loop that rotates around an axis. This rotational heat pump achieves significantly higher efficiency than conventional heat pumps, with a temperature lift of up to 100 Kelvin and output temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius. However, the heat pumps from the Austrian start-up are (so far) true giants – eight metres long and weighing 16 tonnes. Due to their high output temperature, they are primarily used in industrial processes.

The Electrocaloric Principle

Researchers from various Fraunhofer Institutes are taking a different approach: they are developing an “electrocaloric heat pump” that operates without a compressor. In this process, an electrical voltage is applied to an electrocaloric material made of special ceramics or polymers, causing it to heat up. Once the voltage is removed, the material cools down again. Using power electronics, the electrocaloric capacitors are charged and discharged several times per second, with heat being pumped in each cycle. The researchers have developed an ultra-efficient circuit topology for voltage converters based on GaN transistors, achieving an electrical efficiency of 99.74 percent in the electrical power path.

“Achieving a high coefficient of performance in electrocaloric heat pumps requires very high efficiency in materials, electronics, and heat transfer,” says Dr. Kilian Bartholomé, project leader and researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM. “If we can master all of this, electrocalorics has enormous potential.”

The post Trends in heat pump technology appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

Since the release of the first net-zero roadmap in 2021, there have been some positive developments: solar capacity expansion has reached record growth, electric vehicles are gaining more market share, and the industry continues to expand production capacity for these technologies. Innovation in clean energy has also led to more options and a reduction in technology costs. In the IEA’s original 2021 roadmap, technologies that were not yet on the market accounted for nearly half of the emissions reductions needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In the updated version, this figure has now dropped to about 35 percent.

Nevertheless, significant measures are still required by 2030. According to the updated 2023 roadmap, global renewable energy capacity is expected to triple by 2030. At the same time, the annual rate of improvement in energy efficiency will double, sales of electric vehicles and heat pumps will increase sharply, and methane emissions from the energy sector will decrease by 75 percent. These strategies, which rely on proven and often cost-effective emissions reduction technologies, together will deliver more than 80 percent of the reductions needed by the end of the decade.

“Keeping alive the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C requires the world to come together quickly,” emphasises IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “The good news is we know what we need to do – and how to do it.”

IEA’s net-zero roadmap in detail

2021

• No new unabated coal plants approved for development

• No new oil and gas fields approved for development; no new coal mines or mine extensions

2025

• No new sales of fossil fuel boilers

2030

• Universal energy access

• All new buildings are zero-carbon-ready

• 60 % of global car sales are electric

• Most new clean technologies in heavy industry demonstrated at scale

• 1,020 GW annual solar and wind additions

• Phase-out of unabated coal in advanced economies

• Milestone: 150 Mt low-carbon hydrogen, 850 GW electrolysers

2035

• Most appliances and cooling systems sold are best in class

• 50 % of heavy truck sales are electric

• No new ICE car sales

• All industrial electric motor sales are best in class

• Overall net-zero emissions electricity in advanced economies

• Milestone: 4 Gt Co₂ captured

2040

• 50 % of existing buildings retrofitted to zero-carbon-ready levels

• 50 % of fuels used in aviation are low-emissions

• Around 90 % of existing capacity in heavy industries reaches end of investment cycle

• Net-zero emissions electricity globally

• Phase-out of all unabated coal and oil power plants

2045

• 50 % of heating demand met by heat pumps

• Milestone: 435 Mt low-carbon hydrogen, 3,000 GW electrolysers

2050

• More than 85 % of buildings are zero-carbon-ready

• More than 90 % of heavy industrial production is low-emissions

• Almost 70 % of electricity generation globally from solar PV and wind

• Milestone: 7.6 Gt Co2 captured

The post Explained: IEA’s Net-Zero Roadmap 2023 appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

According to the World Energy Transitions Outlook by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy will make up three-quarters of the global energy mix by 2050. Electricity will become the most important energy carrier, covering more than 50 percent of consumption by 2050. This renewable energy-based system will be characterised by a high degree of electrification and efficiency, supplemented by green hydrogen and sustainable biomass.

Profound Implications

These changes in the energy landscape will also lead to significant geopolitical shifts. A report by the “Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation” highlights that the geopolitical and socioeconomic impacts of the new energy age are as profound as the transition from biomass to fossil fuels two centuries ago.

Greater Independence

Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are available in some form in most countries and regions around the world. This increases energy security and makes most states less dependent on energy imports. Conflicts over oil and gas will decrease, and the strategic importance of maritime “chokepoints” like the Suez Canal will diminish. The new energy world could also alleviate social, economic, and environmental issues, which are often major causes of geopolitical instability and conflict. However, new dependencies and trade patterns will emerge, such as those created by new renewable energy sources or the closer integration of electricity grids across borders.

New leading Powers

The energy transition will also bring forth new leaders in the energy sector – countries that invest heavily in renewable energy technologies will gain influence on the international stage. For example, China has strengthened its geopolitical position by taking the lead in the race for clean energy, becoming the world’s largest manufacturer, exporter, and installer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and electric vehicles. On the other hand, today’s exporters of fossil fuels will lose their global reach and influence if they do not adapt their economies to the new energy era.

“The renewables revolution enhances the global leadership of China, reduces the influence of fossil fuel exporters and brings energy independence to countries around the world.”
Olafur Grimsson, Chair of the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation

Access to Energy for more People

Countries that are currently heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports will be able to significantly improve their trade balance in the future by generating a larger share of their energy domestically. This will also reduce the risks associated with vulnerable energy supply lines and volatile fuel prices. Renewable energy will help provide more people with access to energy, create jobs, and promote sustainable economic growth.

The post Exploring the Geopolitical Impact of Renewable Energy appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

Being mindful of energy use pays off, as the cheapest and most climate-friendly kilowatt-hour is the one that isn’t consumed at all. Achieving high energy efficiency is crucial to avoid unnecessary energy losses. Energy efficiency refers to the ratio of energy input to its useful output. Over the past years and decades, many efforts have been made to waste less energy, such as through more efficient LED lighting, improved vehicle fuel efficiency, and advancements in industrial processes. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that implementing all options to increase energy efficiency could save more than five gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalents by 2030.

“Energy efficiency has many additional benefits. It improves air quality, helps businesses save energy so they can reinvest savings into other productive areas, and promotes more efficient industrial processes,” says EU Commissioner Kadri Simson.

Global Energy Efficiency increases

Since 2020, global investments in energy efficiency have risen by 45 percent according to the IEA. For example, nearly all countries now have efficiency standards for air conditioning, and the number of countries with standards for more efficient industrial motors has tripled over the last decade. However, the global improvement in energy intensity – the amount of energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product (GDP) – has slowed. In 2023, it improved by only 1.3 percent, well below the rate needed to achieve climate targets.

“The world’s climate ambitions hinge on our ability to make the global energy system much more efficient. If governments want to keep the 1.5 °C goal within reach while supporting energy security, doubling energy efficiency progress this decade is critical,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

National examples show that it can be done differently. For instance, the European Union improved its energy intensity by eight percent in 2022 and by five percent in 2023. The United States achieved a four percent improvement in 2023.

Reducing Conversion Losses

In the All Electric Society, efforts are mainly focused on the more efficient use of electricity. A crucial lever in this regard is reducing losses during the conversion of electrical energy. When electricity is converted in terms of voltage form (direct or alternating current), voltage level, current, and frequency, losses inevitably occur. Static and dynamic conduction losses in the semiconductor materials of power electronics increase switching losses during the provision, distribution, and use of electrical energy, thus increasing the consumption of valuable primary energy. In Europe alone, an estimated three terawatt-hours of electrical energy are wasted annually due to conversion losses – a figure that is rising. To achieve significant energy savings, improvements must start with the semiconductor materials themselves.

Increasing Efficiency with SiC and GaN

The silicon components currently established in power electronics are being replaced by more powerful semiconductors with wide bandgaps (WBG), which have superior physical and electrical properties. Semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) offer higher switching speeds and better thermal properties. SiC is particularly in demand for high-power applications like electric vehicles and industrial motors, while GaN excels in low-voltage applications such as fast chargers for consumer products. Overall, both semiconductor materials enable significantly higher efficiencies in power conversion: in typical applications like power supply modules or inverters, efficiency improvements of three to five percent can be achieved.

Future with Ultra-Wide Bandgap (UWBG) Semiconductors

It is already foreseeable that in the future, even WBG components will be surpassed by semiconductors with ultra-wide bandgaps (UWBG). A promising UWBG semiconductor is aluminium nitride (AlN). Compared to established silicon components, AlN/GaN transistors, which have already been successfully manufactured on AlN wafers in research projects, exhibit up to three thousand times lower conduction losses and are about ten times more powerful than SiC components.

The post Reducing Energy Losses in Electrical Conversion with Power Electronics appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

By 2050, the global demand for cobalt and lithium for electric vehicle batteries is expected to increase nearly twentyfold. The transition to a fossil fuel-free energy supply will require significant amounts of copper, aluminium, and iron, with demand likely to double. Rare earth elements, essential for technologies like wind turbines, will also be needed in much larger quantities.

“While the global economy will become less resource-intensive overall due to decarbonisation as it moves away from coal, oil, and gas,” says Felix Creutzig, head of the Land Use, Infrastructure, and Transport working group at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) in Berlin, “the additional material requirements due to the climate transition, the associated resource extraction, and the resulting waste streams pose significant ecological and social risks at regional and local levels.”

Creutzig is the lead author of a study that explores the anticipated increases in material consumption due to the climate transition and suggests ways to mitigate them. The study highlights the importance of demand-side climate solutions, such as changes in mobility, housing, and diet, as well as the expansion of material recycling in the economy.

EU aims to Secure Raw Material Supply

Even with efforts to reduce demand, the realisation of an All Electric Society will not be possible without a secure supply of critical raw materials. To address this, the European Union introduced the Critical Raw Materials Act, a regulation designed to ensure a diversified, secure, and sustainable supply of critical raw materials for the EU’s industry. The regulation came into force in May 2024 and aims to strengthen supply within the EU and reduce dependence on individual suppliers. This is crucial because the market for critical raw materials is often dominated by a few supplier countries, which may not always be reliable. For example, Guinea accounts for nearly a quarter of global bauxite production (a precursor to aluminium), while half of the world’s cobalt reserves are located in conflict-stricken Congo. Additionally, 90 percent of semiconductor wafers for solar cells are produced in China.

From Extraction to Recycling

The Critical Raw Materials Act introduces benchmarks for increasing capacities in mining, processing, and recycling within the EU. These include simplified approval procedures and easier access to financial resources. A key aspect that the new EU regulation aims to improve is the recycling of critical raw materials. End-of-life products from the automotive industry, electric vehicles, e-waste, and decarbonised energy technologies are rapidly emerging as secondary sources of valuable critical materials. Market analysts from IDTechEx predict that by 2045, critical materials worth 110 billion US dollars will be recovered annually from secondary sources, with a total weight of over 3.3 million tonnes. The Critical Raw Materials Act sets recycling targets for various materials.

Call for more Flexibility

However, rigid, static targets, such as those currently outlined in the Critical Raw Materials Act, have been criticised by experts. Raw material markets and supply systems are inherently highly dynamic – fixed targets may not be effective. New technologies can quickly increase demand for certain raw materials, while substitution effects can rapidly reduce the demand for others that were previously considered scarce and critical. For example, cobalt: strong substitution effects in batteries are already emerging. Will cobalt still be needed as a key cathode material for lithium-ion batteries by 2030, given the future state of technology?

Professor Simon Glöser-Chahoud, an economist from the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, states, “For successful regulation of raw material supply, both the set quotas and the list of strategic raw materials must be regularly reviewed and adjusted.”

The post Understanding the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the number of cyberattacks on energy utilities worldwide more than doubled between 2020 and 2022. Recently, incidents have included the deactivation of wind farm remote monitoring, outages of electricity meters due to unavailable IT systems, and hacking of data such as customer names, addresses, bank details, and phone numbers. Globally, the average cost of a data breach in the energy sector reached a new record high of 4.72 million US dollars in 2022.

Security from the Start

“The need for cybersecurity affects the entire power grid, including distribution networks, transmission networks, and the connected renewable energy sources,” explains Frances Cleveland, Head of Cybersecurity within the IEC/TC 57 technical committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The committee publishes fundamental standards for the Smart Grid, such as the IEC 62351 series. In addition to cybersecurity requirements, it also includes guidelines for considering security requirements in systems and operations during the development phase, so that security measures are not only implemented once the systems are already in operation.

“The goal is to ensure that participants in the distributed energy resources (DER) sector manufacture and connect these DER systems in a way that incorporates cybersecurity measures and technologies from the outset, making the DER systems ‘secure by design’. If cybersecurity is only considered once the system is already on the market, it’s akin to putting a plaster on a life-threatening wound,” Cleveland further explains.

The Cyber Resilience Act is coming

This is precisely where the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), approved by the European Parliament in spring 2024, comes into play: The regulation will apply to all products that are either directly or indirectly connected to another device or network. This includes connected security cameras, energy management systems, and wind turbine controls. The CRA requires manufacturers to ensure basic cybersecurity requirements, such as guaranteeing the confidentiality and integrity of data. It also stipulates that manufacturers must maintain the IT security of their products throughout their lifecycle. They must demonstrate how they address and resolve vulnerabilities in their products. Only with proof of compliance with the CRA can products be brought to the European market with a CE mark in the future.

Risk Differentiation

Important and critical products will be categorised into different lists based on their criticality and the degree of cybersecurity risk they pose. These lists will be proposed and updated by the European Commission. Products deemed to pose a higher cybersecurity risk will undergo stricter scrutiny by a designated body, while others may follow a simpler conformity assessment process, often managed internally by the manufacturers.

Following the introduction of the CRA – expected later in 2024 – manufacturers will have 36 months to prepare for the upcoming regulations. These will apply to products expected to be introduced to the market from 2027 onwards.

Lead MEP Nicola Danti (Renew, IT) stated: “The Cyber Resilience Act will strengthen the cybersecurity of connected products, tackling vulnerabilities in hardware and software alike, making the EU a safer and more resilient continent.”

Obligations of Manufacturers under the Cyber Resilience Act

• Cybersecurity is considered during the planning, design, development, production, delivery, and maintenance phases
• All cybersecurity risks are documented
• Manufacturers must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and incidents
• After the sale, manufacturers must ensure that vulnerabilities are effectively addressed during the support period
• Clear and understandable instructions for the use of products with digital elements
• Security updates must be made available to users for the expected lifespan of the product.

Source: European Union

The post How the EU Cyber Resilience Act will Work in Practice appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

In the All Electric Society, various actors in the energy system communicate with each other: energy producers, grid operators, consumers, and prosumers all have different technical backgrounds and interests (e.g., cost optimisation versus grid stability) but still need to “talk” to each other.

Michael Teigeler, Managing Director of DKE, explains: “In the end, it should be possible, for example, for the photovoltaic system on an office building to supply part of the electricity that a steel mill needs at that moment. The key to this is a standardised exchange of information between sectors in a highly complex system that intelligently and autonomously manages demand, supply, and loads between producers, consumers, and storage.”

The Grid becomes Part of the IoT

The goal is an “Internet of Energy,” where smart grids collect and analyse data from IoT-enabled sensors and devices within the energy system. According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, the widespread use of smart grids could save up to 30 percent of grid stabilisation costs by 2030.

Diverse Communication Solutions

All communication technologies of the Internet of Things can be used to transmit information. 5G is particularly suitable for real-time management and automation of the smart grid. For applications requiring low bandwidth and where high latency is acceptable, such as reading data from smart meters, low-power radio networks like LoRaWAN or NB-IoT offer a cost-effective alternative to mobile networks. A broadband powerline infrastructure, which transmits data over power cables, promises high availability and easy rollout. For communication within a building, solutions like Wi-Fi or ZigBee can be utilised.

Standardised Language

Data must not only be transmitted but also understood by different actors. This is achieved through specialised communication protocols. One example is the manufacturer-independent communication protocol EEBUS. It allows energy management-relevant devices from various manufacturers to connect and interact with grid and market operators. These include smart meters, control units, electric vehicle charging stations, heat pumps, and energy management systems.

Sebastian Wolfsteiner, an energy management expert at Schneider Electric, emphasises: “EEBUS solves the challenge of providing an interoperable, reliable, and updatable interface for all relevant devices from different industries. This is no trivial task and a challenge.” Schneider Electric has equipped its energy management solution, Home Energy Management System, with an EEBUS interface.

In addition to EEBUS, there are several other protocols: The Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) is one of the most important standard groups for transmitting commands to smart meters. Published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), OSGP is based on several open standards, including ANSI C12.18 and IEC 62056. Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) is a lightweight protocol often paired with TCP/IP, requiring very little bandwidth or network resources. Additionally, specialised protocols exist, such as the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) developed by the Open Charge Alliance, which enables communication between a charging station and a billing or management system.

Market Growth

The Internet of Energy enables real-time data on energy consumption, allowing better management of the power grid. Solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources can be integrated more effectively into the grid by making accurate predictions about energy consumption and generation.

The prospects for the Internet of Energy are impressive: according to analysts at Prophecy Market Insights, the market volume is expected to multiply from 139.5 billion US dollars in 2024 to 493.7 billion US dollars in 2034.

The post Building the Internet of Energy appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

Electricity generation from renewable sources like wind and photovoltaics is subject to significant fluctuations due to time and weather conditions. However, even as the share of renewable electricity increases, the balance between generation and consumption on the grid must be maintained. This is achieved through sector coupling, which describes approaches that more closely connect the previously separate energy and economic sectors of electricity, heating, transport, and industry. The goal is to fully harness the potential of electricity generated from wind and solar power for heating, industry, and transport.

“Green electricity will be the oil, coal, and gas of tomorrow – from heating to mobility,” explains Alexander Bonde, Secretary-General of the German Federal Environmental Foundation. “We need to explore new paths with practical innovations, new technologies, and visionary ideas. Sector coupling is the key to a sustainable future.” According to Bonde, the intensive linking of the electricity, heating, transport, and industry sectors is “essential for the success of the energy transition.”

Energy Exchange across Sectors

So far, these fields have formed separate ecosystems to some extent. In sector coupling, however, energy generation, distribution, storage, and consumption are viewed as a holistic system. Within this system, the individual sectors exchange energy with each other so that it is available in the right form – whether as electricity, heat, or “green” gas – wherever it is needed. The production of green hydrogen through electrolysis is one of the key technologies in sector coupling, allowing renewable electricity to be stored and used in industries, transport, buildings, and even for reconversion to electricity.

Standardised Communication

In addition to energy, data will also be a crucial link between the individual industries. This means that sectors must be interconnected not only in terms of performance but also communication. Only by collecting and analysing energy consumption and generation data energy flows can be optimally controlled. Standardised communication protocols within various networks enable the necessary communication, free from system boundaries. Technology standards like Ethernet IEEE 802.3, the Digital Twin standard IDTA, the ODCA for unified direct current technology, and OPC UA for standardised data exchange are already significant enablers of sector coupling.

Secure Data Exchange through a Common Space

Equally important is a shared data space that allows the sovereign and secure exchange of energy data. In a pilot project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT, together with partners, developed a secure method of data exchange within the energy system. A Gaia-X and IDSA-compliant reference architecture for a German energy data space was developed and implemented.

Prof. Dr. Jens Strüker, one of the project leaders from FIT, highlights the strategic importance of the project for the energy sector: “The next phase of the energy transition has begun. Alongside the expansion of renewable energy, the focus is now on system and market integration of exponentially growing distributed energy resources. Specifically, dynamic electricity tariffs and dynamic grid charges […] will be needed for heat pumps and electric vehicles, among others. Data spaces promise to organise the necessary exchange of consumption data in a data-sovereign and scalable manner.”

The post What is Sector Coupling? appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

According to the International Energy Agency, the industrial sector was directly responsible for emitting nine gigatonnes of CO₂ in 2022, accounting for a quarter of the global CO₂ emissions from the energy system.

Focus on Drive Technology

Electric motors and drive systems consume around 70 percent of the energy used in industry. Therefore, the use of energy-efficient motors presents a significant opportunity to reduce emissions. To describe the energy efficiency of an electric motor, the international standard IEC 60034-30-1 defines energy efficiency classes. These are classified using so-called IE codes, with five classes currently standardised worldwide, ranging from IE1 “Standard Efficiency” to IE5 “Ultra Premium Efficiency.” However, the IEC 60034 standard does not specify when each efficiency class should be used; this is determined by regional legislation. Today, nearly all markets have requirements for the minimum efficiency of electric motors.

High savings Targets in the EU

In the European Union, these requirements are regulated by Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1781, which sets out ecodesign requirements for electric motors and variable speed drives. The latest stage of this regulation came into force in July 2023, requiring all electric motors with a power range between 75 and 200 kilowatts to meet at least the IE4 international energy class. Similarly, IE classes for inverters and IES classes for inverter-motor combinations are also defined. The European Union expects that this regulation will save more than 100 TWh of energy annually by 2030.

Challenge of Process Heat

After electric drive technology, the generation of process heat is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in industry. “Process heat” refers to the heat needed for specific technical processes in the production, further processing, or refinement of products. Today, this heat is mainly generated by fossil fuels. This is especially true in the production of steel and cement, as well as in the chemical industry, where high temperatures exceeding 500 degrees Celsius are required.

Alternatives for the Steel Industry

Depending on the required temperature level, different technologies are available to reduce emissions in process heat generation. For example, electric arc furnaces (EAF) and direct reduced iron (DRI) processes can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the steel industry. In the direct reduction of iron, hydrogen is used to reduce iron ore, producing water vapour instead of CO₂ as a byproduct. Compared to conventional methods, this technology can reduce CO₂ emissions by 50 to 90 percent. Electric arc furnaces have been a proven electric technology for melting iron for decades, although they have mainly been used for recycling steel scrap.

In gas-fired industrial processes that require very high energy density, hydrogen may be more advantageous than electricity. In such cases, direct electrification is often not yet technically mature or would require significant modifications to existing facilities.

Heat Solutions for Industry

Industries such as food production or paper, wood, and pulp manufacturing primarily require heat in the low to mid-temperature range. Various technologies are already available to generate this heat with low emissions. Geothermal energy can provide temperatures up to 180 degrees Celsius, and even higher temperatures can be achieved through the additional use of high-temperature heat pumps, which in pilot plants can already reach up to 300 degrees Celsius. Power-to-Heat technologies, such as electrode boilers, induction furnaces, and other electrothermal processes (such as high-frequency heating and infrared heating), are also suitable for electrification.

Time is of the Essence

Industry is undoubtedly one of the sectors where decarbonisation is most challenging: low-carbon technologies for many processes are still in development or are too expensive. However, decisions on measures to reduce industrial CO₂ emissions must be made now. Many industrial facilities have lifespans of several decades, and if the industry is to be climate-neutral by 2050, the framework must be set now. This will not be possible without government measures, particularly to mandate CO₂ emission reductions and mitigate the risks associated with developing and deploying new technologies.

The post Decarbonising Industry with Energy-Efficient Motors and Process Heat appeared first on Future Markets Magazine.

The transport sector remains reliant on fossil fuels. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), around 8 gigatonnes of CO₂ are currently emitted annually by vehicles, ships, and aircraft. To achieve the net-zero target, emissions from the mobility sector would need to decrease by about 25 percent to 6 gigatonnes by 2030.

91 percent of the transport sector’s final energy consumption still relies on petroleum products, reflecting a reduction of only 3.5 percentage points since the early 1970s.
Source: IEA

Greatest Potential in Road Transport

Most emissions originate from road transport, making the electrification of road vehicles the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, electric vehicles are no longer a niche topic. Their share of new car sales in Europe has risen from less than 1 percent in 2019 to 16 percent in 2023, according to McKinsey. Despite the abolition of purchase subsidies in markets such as Germany at the end of 2023, sales have remained stable. In the first half of 2024, over 875,000 new battery-electric vehicles were sold across the continent.

Focus on Batteries and Power Electronics

The battery and electronics industries play key roles in further advancing the electrification of road vehicles. Future technologies such as solid-state batteries, with better energy density, charging time, range, fire safety, and cost efficiency, will set new benchmarks. In the field of power electronics, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors with wide bandgap properties are increasingly finding applications due to their high efficiency and energy savings. The next developmental stage, still in its infancy, is diamond semiconductors. Meanwhile, innovative packaging technologies are driving miniaturisation.

However, the success of electric vehicles also requires modernisation of the electricity grid. Developing synergies between grids and electric vehicles is crucial. Smart charging, Vehicle-to-X (V2X) technology, improved flexibility, and data interoperability are all important measures towards this end.

Alternative Fuels for Ships and Aircraft

In aviation and maritime sectors, alternatives to fossil fuel-powered engines are also being explored. On short routes – such as with passenger drones or ferries – battery-electric propulsion systems are already under testing or even in partial use. However, for deep-sea shipping or long-haul flights, the required battery capacity would be too high. Therefore, alternative fuels are being developed for these areas. Promising options include powering ships with hydrogen, ammonia, or methanol – when produced using renewable energy, they offer a means to significantly reduce emissions.

In the aviation sector, hybrid-electric aircraft and hydrogen-powered planes – whether through direct combustion, onboard fuel cells, or a combination of both – are in various stages of conceptualisation and prototype development. Among potential decarbonisation measures, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is expected to make the most significant contribution. Certified for use in today’s jet engines, sustainable fuels produce approximately 80 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil kerosene. SAF is an umbrella term for all aviation fuels that, unlike conventional kerosene, are produced without using fossil resources like petroleum and also meet sustainability criteria. Various methods exist for producing SAF, with Power-to-Liquid (PtL) and Sun-to-Liquid (StL) technologies being particularly promising for the future. These are currently in the process of being scaled up to large-scale industrial production.

However, the SAF industry is still in its infancy. According to estimates by the International Air Transport Association, production capacity in 2024 will not exceed 1.5 million tonnes, barely accounting for 0.5 percent of total jet fuel demand. If airlines follow through on their plans to reduce emissions, the demand for SAF could rise to more than 20 million tonnes by 2030.

Net Zero only with Additional Measures

To sustainably and successfully reduce emissions in the transport sector, electrification is essential. However, operational and technical measures to increase the energy efficiency of all modes of transport are also necessary. Moreover, policy must promote the shift to less carbon-intensive modes of transport, such as walking, cycling, and public transport.

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