- Power-to-heat electrifies core processes such as baking, frying, pasteurization and drying, directly affecting the energy backbone of food production.
- Combining it with thermal storage allows electricity to be purchased in favorable market periods and used in production at a different time.
- Existing gas boilers remain fully integrated, ensuring reliable process heat supply even when electricity prices offer no advantage. As a flexible add-on, the system reduces gas consumption and CO₂ emissions while leaving production processes unchanged.
- With a heat-as-a-service model, electrification can be implemented without tying up capital in on-site energy infrastructure.
Ovens, fryers, sterilization units and dryers in the food industry often run around the clock. Process heat is not a side issue here; it is essential for quality, hygiene and productivity. Many companies still rely on natural gas to meet this demand. At the same time, pressure is increasing to reduce emissions and stabilize energy costs. Power-to-heat combined with energy storage offers a way to generate this heat partially or entirely with electricity and make it available when needed. Existing gas boilers remain in place as backup, ensuring a reliable supply. Depending on the strategic approach, the transition can be implemented as a capital investment or through a heat-as-a-service model, where no upfront investment is required and heat is purchased as a service.
Climate pressure and energy prices: why food manufacturers need to rethink their approach
The food industry is under close scrutiny. Sustainability has long become part of brand positioning and supply chain requirements. According to a study commissioned by YARA, 58 percent of consumers say they deliberately buy sustainable food to reduce their impact on the climate. Meanwhile, 74 percent believe that companies in the food and beverage sector should lower emissions from production.
For manufacturers, this means emission reduction is no longer limited to packaging or transport. It also extends to the way energy is supplied within their facilities. Process heat plays a central role, as it accounts for a significant share of energy consumption in many plants.
There is also a clear economic dimension. Natural gas prices are shaped by geopolitical developments and regulatory frameworks. Electricity prices, on the other hand, fluctuate, particularly during periods of high generation from wind and solar. For companies with substantial heat demand, the question is how to use this volatility to their advantage, whether through direct investment in flexible heat systems or via models such as heat-as-a-service, which enable electrification without tying up capital.
Typical applications for power-to-heat in food processing
The range of applications is broad. What matters is that many processes operate within a temperature range that can be electrified with relative ease.
Baking and oven processes
In industrial bakeries, thermal oil systems are commonly used, reaching temperatures of 250 to 300 degrees Celsius. Similar requirements apply to baking frozen pizza or producing cereal-based snacks. Electrically generated thermal oil or hot air can partially replace fossil-fired boilers and be integrated into existing oven systems.
Frying, blanching and pre-treatment
In the production of French fries, chips or breaded products, stable temperatures and fast response times are essential. The same applies to blanching vegetables or pre-treating potatoes, which require steam or hot water within defined temperature ranges. Power-to-heat systems can provide these media and, with the support of thermal storage, supply them flexibly over time.
Pasteurization, sterilization and drying
In dairies, breweries and the production of ready meals, steam is required for pasteurization and sterilization processes. Drying systems for milk powder, spices or instant products rely on hot air at medium to high temperature levels. Electrically generated steam or hot air can be integrated into existing networks without fundamentally changing process control.
These examples show that electrification reaches into the core processes of the industry. It is not about isolated pilot projects, but about the energy backbone of production. This inevitably brings the question of economic viability to the forefront.
Economic viability through flexible electricity use
In the food industry, heat demand is often continuous. This creates predictable operating conditions and opens up opportunities on the procurement side. What matters is not only how heat is generated, but when energy is purchased.
Power-to-heat initially means that process heat is generated electrically, for example in the form of steam, hot air or thermal oil. Its economic relevance lies in the ability to decouple electricity consumption from heat demand over time. When combined with thermal storage, as implemented by companies like ENERGYNEST, the heat produced does not need to be used immediately. Instead, it can be stored and fed into the process later. This allows electricity to be purchased during favorable market periods, while heat consumption continues to follow production requirements.
Electrification is not applied across the board, but only when there is a clear cost advantage over gas. Existing boiler systems remain an integral part of the setup, covering demand when electricity prices offer no advantage. Technically, the system is integrated in parallel with existing infrastructure. Safety-critical components remain unchanged, and the operation is designed for continuous industrial use. For the site, the energy source shifts in part, while process stability remains unaffected.
The result is not a full substitution, but a flexible addition. Gas use declines, while energy costs can be managed more precisely and emissions reduced, without interfering with the production logic.
Heat-as-a-service and capex investment: two implementation pathways
To put this operational logic into practice, ENERGYNEST offers two delivery models. The company develops a site-specific solution that combines power-to-heat, thermal storage and all required technical and control components.
Under the heat-as-a-service model, ENERGYNEST finances, builds and operates the power-to-heat system on site. This includes system design, integration, energy trading strategy, as well as ongoing operation and maintenance. The food manufacturer provides space and grid connection and purchases process heat under contractually defined terms. No upfront investment is required. Heat costs continue to be linked to the relative price advantage over gas, while investment, market and operational risks remain with ENERGYNEST.
This model is particularly suited to companies that want to allocate capital to their core business while still benefiting from lower gas consumption and reduced emissions. Heat becomes a predictable operating expense rather than an infrastructure investment.
Alternatively, the system can be delivered as a turnkey EPC project. In this case as well, ENERGYNEST takes on planning, engineering and integration of the overall solution. The asset is then transferred into the company’s ownership. All savings and potential market revenues remain with the operator, along with the investment responsibility.
Both approaches lead to the same outcome: an economically managed electrification of process heat that integrates into existing production structures.
A perspective for an energy-intensive industry
The transformation of process heat is more than a technical upgrade for the food industry. It affects cost structures, emissions profiles and how companies are perceived in the market. Consumers expect credible steps to reduce emissions, while retail partners are setting clear requirements.
Power-to-heat combined with thermal storage offers a practical way to gradually reduce gas consumption without compromising production reliability. Ovens, fryers and sterilization units can continue to operate as usual, while an increasing share of heat is sourced from electricity.
For many companies, this creates a new perspective: process heat is no longer just a fixed cost, but a variable that can be actively managed as part of the overall energy strategy.
