Categorias: Sustentabilidade , Eletrificação
Publicados 12 jul. 2023

Converting from gas to electric heating technology would greatly reduce the industry’s emissions and assist in the shift towards more sustainable production. The technology already exists, but good can always be better. Jesper Ejenstam, Kanthal’s Vice President and Head of R&D, shares his view on the potential in electric heating and how to best meet the challenges ahead.

Why is electrification of heating processes important?

“If we are going to meet the sustainability targets in the world, we need to make a shift. And electric heating is here to support that. If we do it correctly and target the right industries, we are not only making a little dent in carbon emissions, we are moving the needle in terms of tens of percent in carbon emissions. And we can achieve that with electric heating.”

How has the industry’s view on electric heating changed?

Electric heating has been here for many, many years, it’s nothing new, but we definitely see the shift with the sustainability trend.

“There’s definitely a shift in the market. Electric heating has been here for many, many years, it’s nothing new, but we definitely see the shift with the sustainability trend. From a sustainability point of view, there’s definitely a need for electric heating. You want to be perceived not only as a company that produces really good products, but also as a company that takes care of the world.”

Is electric heating more expensive than traditional solutions?

“It depends. It can definitely be cheaper. We need to understand that for many industries, it’s a new technology. We need to understand their demands and how to best solve the problem. If we do that in a good way and tailor solutions, there’s a great opportunity to not only prove the technology from a sustainability point of view, but to generate significant cost savings for the industry.”

What role does the materials play for electric heating to be efficient?

“Materials are central. We started 90 plus years ago to develop materials to solve specific problems. Still, today, we start with what the customers are trying to get done, and we tailor materials and our solutions to meet that. We will continue to do that with the customer at the center.”

How important is it to develop new materials to meet current challenges?

“I definitely think there’s a need for new materials but also to understand how the materials are being used in existing applications as well as in new applications coming up in the drive for even more sustainable technologies. We need to understand how we can do that today and how we can improve it in the future.”