Study 44 – Burners: new technologies and hybridisation for decarbonisation

Decarbonising high-temperature industrial thermal processes is a major challenge for the energy transition in high-emission sectors such as metallurgy, the construction materials industry and the chemical industry. These processes, which often require temperatures in excess of 1000 °C, are difficult to fully electrify in the short to medium term. In this context, the integration of decarbonised gaseous fuels appears to be a complementary and pragmatic means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Decarbonised gaseous fuels – biomethane, biogas, synthetic methane, low-carbon hydrogen, biopropane, renewable dimethyl ether (rDME), decarbonised ammonia or syngas – are characterised by a reduced carbon footprint throughout their entire life cycle. Integrating these gases into existing thermal processes raises complex issues regarding technical feasibility, safety, compatibility with equipment, and economic viability, affecting burners, gas installations, furnaces and regulatory compliance.

The study is divided into two parts: the first part aims to analyse the technical challenges associated with the use of these gases in high-temperature combustion processes, whilst the second part examines their economic impacts through sector-specific case studies.

The objectives are: 

1. Assessing the adaptability of existing burners to the integration of low-carbon gaseous fuels
2. Identify innovative or emerging burner technologies suitable for these gases
3. To analyse the conditions for industrial implementation, taking into account technical, economic, regulatory and safety aspects
4. Quantifying the economic impacts (CAPEX, OPEX, energy costs, carbon costs)   

The study resulted in the production of four complementary deliverables:

• A technical analysis report on the technical feasibility of burner hybridisation
• An economic analysis report presenting the results of technical and economic modelling for three sector-specific case studies
• The Excel tool implementing the case studies for economic analysis
• A benchmark of burners compatible with carbon-free gases, listing existing and developing solutions, their levels of maturity and their areas of application