Potentials for the electrification of industrial processes in Denmark

The energy supply of processes in the industry and many service sectors relies heavily on the combustion of fossil fuels, which are either used directly to supply heat or indirectly through utility systems. While the share of renewable energies in the electricity mix in Europe is increasing, the industry sector has primarily focused on energy efficiency. With the industrial reliance on fossil fuels, the needed decarbonisation can only take place when replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. This change is however difficult for many industries, as they require high temperature process heat, thermal energy at high rates and short payback times for investments. By converting the energy supply of industries to a fully electric one, it is  possible to considerably reduce CO₂-emissions in a future fossil fuel-free power system. The key to this transformation are technologies which allow the efficient use of electric power for process energy supply. By using heat pumps on a large scale for example, a reduction in primary energy use is possible. In this work electrification options and pathways for the industry sector are described and their implementation potential was assessed. The work considers the most recent publications describing electrification technologies, methods and potentials.
For the case of Denmark, an analysis of the industry sector is performed to show the potential and requirements of an all-electric industry. The top-down approach for the sector analysis was complemented with economic considerations. The results give a framework for possible CO₂-emission savings and requirements towards energy costs, to drive the industry towards electrification.