Problem statement
Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industrial processes is critical to address climate change and promote sustainable development. Industrial process heating plays a significant role in global GHG emissions, accounting for approximately 10% of total emissions. This is mainly attributed to heating applications that rely on hydrocarbon fuel combustion for steam generation or direct heating. Various industries, such as food, iron & steel, chemicals, and pulp & paper, rely heavily on industrial heating. Current low-carbon alternatives are typically more expensive and less well-developed than fossil heating technologies. To accelerate the transition towards a zero emissions economy, there is a critical need for technological advancements that offer cost-effective alternatives to conventional fossil fuel-based heating technologies. These advancements would help reduce full lifecycle GHG emissions associated with industrial heating, including embodied carbon, while maintaining the efficiency and productivity of diverse industrial sectors. However, it is important to note that this challenge excludes hydrogen and biomass combustion heating technologies to avoid duplication with existing programs.
Desired outcomes and considerations
Essential (mandatory) outcomes
The proposed solution must:
- Replace or reduce emissions by at least 50% or a minimum of 1,000 tonnes CO2/yr from current fossil-fuel based industrial process heating technologies
- Cost-effectively address industrial-scale (exceeding 1 MWt) process heating requirements (excluding space heating) using technologies, products or process modifications that can
- replace or reduce fossil-based industrial heat production,
- recover industrial process heat to reduce overall heat requirements, or
- replace or reduce the need for industrial heat by using alternative non-thermal technologies
- Adopt low-carbon or net-zero emissions technology
- Not involve alternative combustion technologies (i.e. biomass, hydrogen)
Additional outcomes
The proposed solution should:
- Be widely applicable in multiple industries or processes
- Provide an environmentally safe solution that has no or the least possible impact on the environment
- Meet (or will be able to meet) safety and certification requirements
- Be applicable in a Canadian context (various associated seasons and harsh environmental conditions)
- Demonstrate a low life-cycle carbon footprint
Background and context
The primary source of industrial heating is fossil fuel combustion either for direct heating or steam generation. There are several early-stage technology options that are being developed to replace current hydrocarbon combustion systems including industrial-scale heat pumps, heat recovery, electric heat, solar thermal, and thermal energy storage, as well as technologies that reduce or eliminate the need for industrial heating including reverse osmosis or forward osmosis to concentrate liquid products.
This challenge supports Goal 13 of the government's commitment to Sustainable Development Strategy as well as Canada's 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal under the Paris Agreement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Low-carbon industrial heating is a global issue and there are global opportunities for new technologies that meet this challenge. Other countries are also investing in these technologies. For example, the US Department of Energy launched the Energy Earthshot to cut industrial heating emissions by 85 Percent.