For many sectors within the process industries, steam remains the backbone of production. From food and drink to pharmaceuticals, chemicals and distilling, it underpins heating, sterilisation, cleaning and power generation. Yet steam is also one of the hardest parts of industrial energy systems to decarbonise. High temperatures, continuous demand and the need for reliability mean that, for most sites, natural gas-fired boilers are still the default choice.
As pressure mounts from regulation, customers and corporate net-zero targets, the industry is now being asked to transform one of its most fundamental utilities. The challenge is not simply technical; it raises economic, infrastructure and operational challenges. The good news is that progress is being made. New technologies are emerging, pilot projects are proving what is possible, and the conversation has shifted from aspiration to implementation. But there is no single solution, and certainly no overnight fix.
As a business, we’re looking at a practical view of where the decarbonisation of heat and steam stands today, the options that are available now and in the near future, and what early adopters are already doing on the ground.
Read on in the latest edition of Process Industry Informer, page 8.
