E-boilers as a flex source: a guide for businesses
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An e-boiler is an electric boiler that converts electricity into heat or steam, instead of a boiler running on natural gas. Thanks to short ramp-up and ramp-down times, an e-boiler switches quickly, which makes it a good flexibility source: it runs when there is plenty of cheap, green power and stays off when power is expensive and scarce. This links electricity to heat demand, known as power-to-heat.
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E-boilers as a flex source: scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
In the Netherlands, growing solar and wind make the power supply volatile: sometimes abundant, sometimes scarce. At the same time the electricity grid is full in many regions. Businesses that need heat or steam can make that demand flexible and move with the grid at the right moments. The e-boiler plays a role here. It is of interest to companies with a heat demand that currently run on natural gas, for example in the food industry, greenhouse horticulture or the process industry, and that want to electrify.
- An e-boiler converts electricity into heat or steam and can switch on and off quickly thanks to short ramp times.
- As a flexibility source it uses power during surpluses at low prices, helping to relieve grid congestion.
- Deployment requires sufficient connection capacity and a process or heat buffer that can absorb the switching.
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Why is an e-boiler a good flexibility source?
An e-boiler converts electricity directly into heat or steam. There are two types: an electrode boiler for hot water and a resistance boiler for steam. Thanks to short ramp-up and ramp-down times, the unit can be switched on and off quickly. That property makes it suitable as a flexibility source. It can run at moments with plenty of solar and wind, when power is cheap and green, and stay idle when power is expensive and scarce. In this way the e-boiler links the electricity market to heat demand, known as power-to-heat. Because of the growth of renewable sources, heat from an e-boiler is increasingly cheaper than heat from gas.
- Converts electricity directly into heat or steam, without burning natural gas.
- Short ramp-up and ramp-down times: quick to switch on and off, so easy to control.
- An electrode boiler delivers hot water, a resistance boiler delivers steam.
- Runs on cheap, green power and stays idle at high prices.
- Links the electricity market to heat demand: power-to-heat.
How does a business deploy an e-boiler flexibly?
An e-boiler works best when the heat demand can absorb the switching. It is therefore often placed in a hybrid setup alongside an existing gas boiler: at low power prices the e-boiler runs, at high prices the gas boiler takes over. A heat buffer or steam accumulator increases that freedom further. The business heats water or makes steam when power is cheap and uses that stored heat later, decoupled from the moment of purchase. In this way the e-boiler can follow low market prices and the imbalance market of grid operator TenneT. Several e-boilers can also be pooled together and offered as flexibility on the balancing and reserve markets. Every operating hour on power means less gas consumption.
- Often hybrid alongside a gas boiler: e-boiler at low prices, gas boiler at high prices.
- A heat buffer or steam accumulator decouples the moment of purchase and use.
- The e-boiler follows low market prices and imbalance.
- Several e-boilers can be pooled together for the balancing and reserve markets.
- Each hour on power replaces an hour on natural gas.
What should you watch out for and what are the limits?
An e-boiler requires sufficient electrical connection capacity. In an area with grid congestion that capacity can be limited or not immediately available, which delays deployment. The heat demand itself is also decisive: the production process must be flexible enough to absorb the switching on and off, or heat storage is needed. In addition, an e-boiler is less efficient than a heat pump. A heat pump draws heat from the surroundings and delivers several units of heat per unit of power, whereas an e-boiler converts power almost one to one. For high temperatures or steam, however, a heat pump is often unsuitable, and that is exactly where the e-boiler fits. The choice therefore depends on the temperature level, the available capacity and the desired flexibility.
- Sufficient connection capacity is needed; in congestion areas it can be limited.
- The production process or a heat buffer must be able to absorb the switching.
- An e-boiler is less efficient than a heat pump, which delivers more heat per unit of power.
- For high temperatures and steam a heat pump is often unsuitable, but an e-boiler is.
- The right choice depends on temperature, capacity and desired flexibility.
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