Process heat applications account for a substantial portion of the overall industrial greenhouse gas emissions, which is primarily attributed to the fact that high-temperature heat is currently mostly provided by fossil fuels, such as natural gas. Due to several national and international climate protection regulations, manufacturing companies are obligated to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, to decarbonize their process heat supply. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in financial and transitory sustainability risks that can ultimately affect long-term competitiveness. Decentralized hydrogen production via electrolysis is regarded as a potential solution for the decarbonization of high-temperature manufacturing processes because it eliminates the need for costly modifications to existing plant technology. However, it is to be considered that the integration of hydrogen as a novel fuel introduces technical challenges for companies. In principle, different types of hydrogen-induced material damage, such as decarburization and high-temperature corrosion, can affect equipment. These issues may impede the effective integration of hydrogen into manufacturing systems. To address this problem, this article first describes and discusses various types of hydrogen-induced material damage in the context of high-temperature manufacturing processes. Subsequently, requirements aimed at preventing hydrogen-induced material damage are established. Finally, a method for assessing the technical suitability of manufacturing system components (e.g., process heating equipment) for hydrogen-based high-temperature processes is presented. Consequently, this article supports the strategic planning of hydrogen-based decarbonization measures in heat-intensive companies.
Woerle et al. (2026) studied this question.