Revolutionizing Low-Temperature Heating in the Food and Beverage Industry in France

Publication in English

A study commissioned by the European Climate Foundation

Contact: Gian Luca Agliardi

Carbone 4 contributors to the study: Alexandre Huon de Kermadec, Célia Cornec

Participation in workshops and interviews: DGEC, ADEME, Newheat, Industrials

Introduction

The transition to a low-carbon economy is falling behind schedule and requires joint, systemic action by the entire economic sector: governments, businesses, and end consumers. Every aspect of our societies must be rethought in light of planetary boundaries. The Paris Agreement, signed at COP21 in 2015, aims to limit global warming to +2 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. Signatory countries are required to translate this ambition into ambitious national climate goals through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In France, climate goals are set out in the National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC).

The SNBC sets greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets by sector in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Industry, the third-largest emitter in France after transportation and agriculture, has an important role to play in the country’s decarbonization. In fact, the SNBC calls for a fivefold reduction in industrial GHG emissions by 2050, compared to 2015 (a fourfold reduction compared to 2023 GHG emission levels). This corresponds to an annual reduction in industrial emissions of -4.5%[1]. The industry is already behind schedule, with emissions falling by only 2.7% per year between 2015 and 2023[2].

Industry is often considered a “hard-to-abate” sector (i.e., difficult to decarbonize) because of heavy industries—such as the chemical and metallurgical industries—that require very high temperatures. However, it also includes many activities and processes that require low-temperature heat (<100 °C). While low-carbon technologies for high-temperature heat production are still under development, low-temperature heat needs could be met by proven low-carbon solutions, particularly electrification. The SNBC’s decarbonization pathway for industry highlights the importance of electrification, as it assumes that electrification will increase from about 25% today to 70% of the industry’s energy consumption by 2050.

The electrification of low-temperature industrial heating will depend largely on direct electrification technologies, such as industrial heat pumps and electric boilers. Heat pumps, in particular, can be integrated with heat recovery systems, solar thermal power plants, or geothermal systems. This integration effectively enhances the heat source for the heat pump, thereby reducing the temperature difference that needs to be achieved and improving the equipment’s overall performance. The industrial heat pumps and electric boilers currently available on the market are mature technologies capable of reaching temperatures above 150 °C[3]. There therefore do not appear to be any major technological barriers to the transition of sectors with low-temperature heat needs. However, these industries remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels and are struggling to decarbonize at the necessary pace. This paradox raises the question of why their transformation is progressing so slowly.

The agri-food industry has been identified as a relevant sector for understanding this paradox. In France, it accounts for 11% of industrial emissions and 2% of total GHG emissions[4]. More than half of the agri-food sector's energy consumption is used for heat production[5] and many processes in this industry—including drying, pasteurization, and distillation—require low-temperature heat. About 75% of the heat required for these processes is below 150 °C, and about 50% is below 100 °C[6]. Several studies have shown that the agri-food industry is a prime candidate for reducing its heat production from fossil fuels in favor of low-carbon heat production, particularly through electrification. First, ADEME examined the potential for replacing fossil fuel consumption in industrial thermal processes with electric technologies[7]. One-third of the industry’s total potential lies in the agri-food sector, making it the industrial sector with the greatest potential for the electrification of thermal processes. Furthermore, the International Energy Agency (IEA), in its report “The Future of Heat Pumps”[8], states that 40% of the agri-food industry's heating needs could be met by heat pumps.

However, the agri-food sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels—the main source of direct emissions—and more specifically on natural gas, which accounted for 50% of its energy consumption in 2022. This share has remained relatively stable since 2010, when it also stood at 50%. Furthermore, the share of electricity in total energy consumption increased slightly, rising from 32% in 2010 to 39% in 2022.[9], which is still slightly higher than the rest of the EU, where electrification in industry has stagnated at an average of around 33%[10]. There is therefore still a long way to go to reach 70% of energy consumption by 2050.

The objective of the following study is therefore to provide an overview of the barriers to electrification faced by the agri-food industry and to formulate recommendations for public policymakers and the industry itself.

This study was supported by the European Climate Foundation. Responsibility for the information and views presented in this study lies with the author(s). The European Climate Foundation cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained or expressed herein.