Decarbonising industrial heat processes and building heating systems remains one of the most
stubborn challenges in the energy transition, as combustion-based alternatives produce
emissions such as NOx, CO₂, and particulates. Heat pumps and other electricity-based solutions
fall short above 80°C and struggle with peak load demand, driving significant cost spikes. Burning
hydrogen in a flame removes the CO2 problem but introduces NOx emissions and the safety
concerns of a hydrogen flame.
However, there is a third option: letting hydrogen react with the oxygen in the air on a catalyst,
producing heat without a flame. The principle is well understood, but there is still little public data
on how such systems actually behave in everyday operation. This presentation aims to close that
gap.
We will share results from two systems that are operational in the field. The first is a heating
system for a building that operations in a hybrid setup with a heat pump, handling peak demand
while the heat pump covers the base load. We will show how the two work side by side, when
each one takes over, and what temperatures and performance we measured over a full heating
season. The second is a system installed in a production line, where it replaced an existing fossilfuel
burner. Here we will show how it reaches process temperatures of up to 300 °C and what
was needed to connect it to the existing equipment.
For both systems we will present the numbers that matter: the emissions measured in the hot-air
stream (CO₂, NOx and particulates), how efficiently the hydrogen is turned into usable heat
under real operating conditions, and the safety and certification basis for running the systems.
Just as importantly, we will be open about the limitations. We will explain where this technology
fits, where it does not, and what is involved in retrofitting it into an existing plant.
The goal is to give the audience a clear, honest picture of what catalytic hydrogen heating can and
cannot do today — based on real measurements.