Enabling Industrial Electrification- Call for Evidence
30/09/2024 | ADE Briefing | Enabling Industrial Electrification – Summary of Response from the 2023 Call for Evidence
On 19 July 2023, DESNZ launched a call for evidence (CfE) to understand how to enable industry to electrify. The call for evidence closed 20 October 2023, and on 10 September 2024 DESNZ published a summary of responses (there were 74 respondents, including the ADE).
There were 6 “key themes” from the responses as to why industry is not electrifying:
1) Electricity costs are (too) high relative to natural gas;
2) Grid connection delays;
3) Technology gaps, especially for high-heat processes;
4) Low confidence in novel electrification equipment;
5) Further clarity on the availability and relative support for hydrogen and electrification is needed; and
6) 4 different “archetypes” of industrial sites face different hurdles, and thus need different support.
Aside from the above, the summary organises responses into: advantages of electrification, the technology needed to electrify, the possible roles of private renewable generation and demand side response, the current policy landscape and thoughts on the approach to future policy.
Overall, respondents were heavily in favour of further interventions to support electrification but were largely against phasing out or completely banning gas assets to support electrification. Respondents emphasised the need for: a broader fuel switching policy; stronger long-term signals; and information sharing and industry coordination.
