This article is adapted from Energy Weekly, a free newsletter on the clean energy transition.

Of the four energy sectors in the United States that need to be decarbonized—residential, industrial, commercial, and transportation—we usually think that industry is the most difficult to decipher. This is because these technologies are often less mature and more costly, and companies are cautious about investing in equipment upgrades that may require rethinking processes or retraining employees. 

A new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Global Efficiency Intelligence Corporation encourages a more detailed view of the energy required for heat treatment in manufacturing, which accounts for one-fifth of global energy demand. 

The report focuses on: low-level boilers. 

I know. The boiler does not sound exciting. As a kid in the 1990s, I can't help but think of the evil furnace hidden inside the house in "Home Alone". 

Industrial boilers are not like that. They are appliances that generate steam and can be plugged into a range of applications, such as adjusting temperature and pressure, drying products, and removing impurities from fluids. 

Although this seems to be a small part of the challenge of electrification, this report entitled "Electrification of Boilers in U.S. Manufacturing Industries" highlights some of the truth about the road to decarbonization. Here are three main points and what they teach us about electrification. 

Although we may not have all the answers today to electrify everything, market-ready choices now put us on the right path. 

Boilers are a good place to start electrical industrial applications. They are a mature technology that can be replaced with combustion boilers without the end user having to make major changes to their processes or equipment. 

Boilers account for 17% of US manufacturers' energy needs. Although significant, there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve the electrification of other heat treatment applications. 

However, the lack of a complete solution is a bad excuse for not taking action with today's available technology. For transportation, this may mean letting electric cars drive around towns (even if long-distance trucking is not a good option). For your home, this may mean changing to a heat pump, even if you are not ready to upgrade to an induction cooker. 

These personal decisions add up. The more customers who say that all-electricity is a priority, the more research, development, deployment, and incentives there will inevitably be.

The report's analysis found that the electrification of industrial boilers in the United States may initially lead to an increase in annual emissions. This is because power grids in many parts of the United States are still mainly powered by carbon-emitting energy sources. 

This reality is sometimes an argument against all electrification. After all, if the focus is on decarbonization, wouldn’t it be better for us to invest in low-carbon fuel technology? 

No, we won't, for two reasons. First, we buy electrical appliances for tomorrow's grid today. Many states have set a goal of achieving net zero emissions from power generation by 2050 or earlier. Our decarbonization of the grid is a climate priority, so let's plan. 

When the report considers the decarbonization of the grid, it is found that by 2050, boiler electrification will result in a significant reduction in emissions. 

Second, if we invest in appliances that are not fully electric, we will not be able to achieve our climate goals. An analysis by Sol Griffith, author of "Electrification: The Optimist Playbook for Our Clean Energy Future," found that we need a 100% adoption rate of electrification technology. This does not mean that we have to do everything at the same time; it means that all options from now to the future should be fully electric. 

This is an important principle to remember. The movement requires each department to do its part and believes that other departments are doing the same. This is a kind of prisoner's dilemma. The industry must trust the energy market to achieve decarbonization, just as the industry needs people to invest in all-electric houses to have a chance to achieve a safe climate future. 

If avoiding the ecological and economic collapse caused by uncontrolled climate change is not justified enough, then energizing everything will bring interesting common benefits. In the case of electric boilers, this includes lower air pollution and lower licensing barriers, as well as some technical advantages, such as the ability to heat up faster than combustion boilers. 

But this does not mean it will be easy. One of the main obstacles to adoption is cost. Although electric boilers are cheaper and more efficient than combustion boilers, 90% of boiler life cycle costs come from electricity. Since natural gas is very cheap in many markets and electricity is relatively more expensive, the economic argument for manufacturers is difficult. 

This will not change the ethical requirements for climate action. In order to carry out the conversion quickly and efficiently, alignment and coordination between departments are required. Actions include: 

These are just a small part of the cross-departmental support necessary to achieve all electrification. This will require everyone to work together and every department will do their best. 

[Interested to learn more about all the electrification movement? Participate in VERGE Electrify online from July 25th to 26th, with leaders from the private and public sectors, utilities, solution providers, investors, and startups. ]

Send such articles to your inbox

Attend our annual event for sustainable business leaders in Scottsdale, Arizona from February 15th to 17th. Sign up now before interest rates rise on December 17th!