E-boilers in industry: A smart investment or money down the drain?

Over the past few years, industrial companies have made significant strides in energy efficiency, reducing their energy consumption by 20 to 30%. Today, many companies find themselves at a turning point. The major efficiency gains have already been achieved, and it is time for the next shift: moving from fossil-based installations to increasingly flexible electrification.

The companies that can be most flexible in how they draw electricity from the grid will be able to access the lowest electricity prices. As a result, the importance of flexible assets and buffering continues to grow.

‍

What role does the e-boiler play in this transition?

An e-boiler produces hot water using electricity, which makes it seem like the ideal replacement for a gas boiler. In practice, the e-boiler is typically operated when it can deliver heat more cheaply than the gas boiler. How often and for how long this is the case varies from one company to another. The required temperature level also has a significant impact on profitability. While the technology itself is relatively straightforward, the business case certainly is not.

The only correct answer to the question of whether an e-boiler is a smart investment is: you only know once you model it. A model allows you to test different scenarios, combining the factors you control (such as energy consumption, on-site generation from solar panels and heat pumps, and process heat demand) with external variables like fluctuating energy prices and the impact of new or stricter regulations.

This requires specialist expertise and high-quality data. Currently, 85% of our experts’ advisory services are subsidised, and we are happy to support you with the subsidy application. Using Enelyzer, our energy management and optimisation software, we model the project and objectively assess if and when investing in an e-boiler makes sense.

‍

Flexibly Responding to Volatile Electricity Prices

Volatile electricity prices combined with high gas prices are creating opportunities for e-boiler technology. The large-scale rollout of solar and wind energy increasingly leads to surpluses of (green) electricity. Stable electricity prices are a thing of the past:  sometimes electricity is expensive; sometimes it is extremely cheap.

An e-boiler is far more flexible than a gas boiler. It can be easily switched on and off to take advantage of fluctuating electricity prices.

This does not mean replacing your gas boiler entirely. Instead, you add an e-boiler alongside it. In this hybrid setup, the gas boiler remains the backbone of heat production, while the e-boiler supports or takes over when electricity prices are low. Today, this can already amount to around eighty days per year, resulting in a 10 to 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions.

‍

ETS2 and Congested Power Grids

Market prices alone do not determine whether an e-boiler is profitable, however. Grid capacity is also a critical factor in your energy model. A 5 MW industrial e-boiler requires as much power as around twenty fast-charging stations. If this exceeds the grid capacity available to your company, you may face annual costs of roughly €100 per additional kW. It is therefore essential to include grid constraints in your modelling.

Additional savings can be achieved through the European ETS system. This tax on fossil fuels will decrease as the e-boiler replaces the gas boiler by using green electricity. Companies not yet subject to this scheme will become so by 2028, when ETS2 introduces a new emissions trading system for buildings and transport. At that point, using gas will become more expensive for everyone.

‍

The Future of Energy: Constantly Switching Between Assets

Want to be ready for 2028? Start assessing today whether an e-boiler deserves a place in your medium-term roadmap towards 2030. If so, engage with your grid operator early to discuss all your transition plans. Waiting times for new or upgraded grid connections can quickly become significant.

The e-boiler is just one possible component of these plans. Ideally, you should develop a complete picture that also includes other assets such as heat pumps, charging infrastructure, solar panels, batteries, and a wide range of process optimisations.

Beyond electrification, flexibility will define the future of energy. Companies that can respond most effectively will benefit from both lower and more stable energy prices.

Build your model, define your roadmap, and always think a few years ahead.

Key Takeaways

• An e-boiler is a tailored solution; the business case differs from company to company.
• At Enprove, we model your energy situation. Take advantage of subsidies to do this in 2026.
• Think hybrid: an e-boiler is one piece of a broader energy strategy.
• Smart control is essential. Savings are created by running the e-boiler at the right moments.

With Enelyzer, the AI-driven energy management system, and its team of experts, Enprove supports industrial businesses in reducing and stabilising their energy consumption, emissions, and costs. Get in touch if you want to shape your energy future together.

‍