Industrial heat accounts for a significant share of Europe’s energy consumption, yet much of it still relies on fossil fuels. As Europe seeks to strengthen competitiveness, improve energy security and accelerate decarbonisation, electrification of industrial heat is rapidly moving from concept to reality.
To explore the latest developments in this field, the Horizon Europe project eLITHE recently hosted a webinar bringing together leading experts from industry, research and policy. Organised through a collaboration between the project’s exploitation and communication teams, the event examined the technical and economic feasibility of electrifying high-temperature industrial processes and highlighted solutions already being demonstrated across Europe.
Turning Research into Industrial Reality
The webinar attracted participants from across the industrial energy ecosystem and focused on a critical question: can high-temperature industrial heat be electrified at scale within this decade?
The answer emerging from the discussion was clear. Technologies capable of replacing fossil-fuel-based heat are already available for a large share of industrial applications, and demonstration projects are proving their viability in real operating environments.
Moderated by Dušan Jakovljević of EEIP, the session explored both the technological advances and the market conditions needed to accelerate deployment.
Opening the discussion, Adrian Hiel, Director of the Electrification Alliance, described Europe as entering a new phase of the energy transition.
While previous years focused primarily on expanding renewable electricity generation, the next challenge is putting that clean electricity to work across industry, transport and buildings. For industry in particular, electrification of process heat represents one of the most effective pathways to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels while strengthening Europe’s industrial resilience.
The Technology Already Exists
A key contribution came from Matthias Rehfeldt of the Fraunhofer Institute, who presented recent research showing that around 40% of industrial energy demand in Europe could already be electrified using commercially available technologies. A further 20% could become electrifiable within the next decade as technologies mature and deployment accelerates.
The discussion highlighted that technical feasibility is no longer the primary barrier. Instead, challenges increasingly relate to investment decisions, business models, electricity market conditions and implementation speed.
This shift marks an important turning point for industrial decarbonisation. The debate is moving beyond whether electrification is possible and towards how quickly it can be deployed.
eLITHE Demonstrates Solutions for High-Temperature Processes
The webinar also showcased the progress being made within the eLITHE project itself.
Roberto Arévalo Turnes, eLITHE Technical Coordinator, presented the project’s work on electrifying high-temperature processes in the ceramics sector. The project is developing and validating several innovative solutions, including:
- Induction heating systems
- Electrode-based technologies
- Microwave heating applications
- Hybrid electric and hydrogen solutions
- New materials specifically designed for electric treatment processes
These technologies are being tested in industrial environments to demonstrate their technical performance, operational flexibility and commercial potential.
An important aspect of the project is its digital twin platform, which allows industrial operators to evaluate different energy scenarios, market conditions, storage options and flexibility strategies before implementation. This helps companies make informed investment and operational decisions while reducing deployment risks.
Building the Innovation Pipeline
The webinar also highlighted the broader European innovation ecosystem supporting industrial electrification.
Sven Eckert, Scientific Coordinator of the CITADEL project, presented complementary work focused on process stability, efficiency and product quality under electrified operating conditions. Such developments are essential for ensuring that industrial electrification delivers not only emissions reductions but also reliable and economically competitive production.
Together, projects such as eLITHE and CITADEL demonstrate how European research and innovation programmes are building the knowledge, technologies and business models required for large-scale industrial transformation.
Why Industrial Electrification Matters Now
The timing of these developments is particularly significant.
European policy initiatives currently under development, including the Electrification Action Plan, grid modernisation measures and future energy security frameworks, are increasingly aligned with the solutions being demonstrated by projects like eLITHE.
Industrial electrification offers multiple benefits simultaneously:
- Reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels
- Improved energy security
- Lower industrial emissions
- Greater integration of renewable electricity
- Enhanced industrial competitiveness
As electricity systems continue to decarbonise, electrified industrial processes will become an increasingly important pillar of Europe’s clean industrial future.
From Demonstration to Market Uptake
As leader of eLITHE’s exploitation activities, EEIP is working to ensure that knowledge generated within the project reaches industrial stakeholders, policymakers and technology providers capable of accelerating deployment.
Events such as this webinar play an important role in bridging the gap between research results and real-world implementation. By bringing together technology developers, industrial users and market actors, they help transform innovation into practical solutions for Europe’s energy-intensive industries.
The webinar demonstrated that industrial electrification is no longer a future possibility. It is becoming a practical pathway for strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and sustainability.
eLITHE will continue sharing results from its demonstrations and market activities throughout the project, supporting the wider adoption of electrified industrial heat solutions across Europe.
Watch the full webinar recording on YouTube and follow eLITHE for upcoming events and project updates.
eLITHE is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe Grant Agreement No. 101138325. EEIP leads the project’s exploitation activities and supports the dissemination of project results to industrial and policy stakeholders.
