As food manufacturers accelerate their transition away from fossil fuels, industrial heat pumps are increasingly recognized as a key technology for reducing carbon emissions. But replacing a gas boiler is only part of the challenge. For many food processing facilities, the critical question has become: how can low-pressure steam be generated sustainably, efficiently, and cost-effectively?
A new white paper from Solstice Advanced Materials explores this question by comparing high-temperature heat pumps and mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) technologies for industrial steam production, offering valuable insights for food and beverage manufacturers pursuing net-zero targets.
Steam Remains Essential Across Food Processing
Low-pressure steam at approximately 140°C remains a cornerstone of food manufacturing operations. It is widely used in cooking, pasteurization, sterilization, cleaning, sanitization, and drying processes, where reliable and controllable heat transfer is essential. Despite significant advancements in industrial electrification, steam generation continues to be one of the most difficult applications to decarbonise.
The challenge is particularly relevant because many industrial steam systems still rely on natural gas-fired boilers. While these systems are proven and familiar, they are also significant contributors to direct greenhouse gas emissions. As sustainability targets become more stringent, food processors are evaluating alternative technologies that can provide the same thermal output with a substantially lower carbon footprint.
Heat Pumps and MVR: Two Routes to Low-Carbon Steam
The Solstice study evaluates two leading alternatives: high-temperature heat pumps and blower-based mechanical vapor recompression systems.
High-temperature heat pumps recover waste heat from industrial processes and upgrade it to useful temperature levels through a vapor compression cycle. MVR systems, meanwhile, compress water vapor directly, increasing its temperature and pressure so it can be reused as a heat source. In some cases, both technologies can be combined in a cascade configuration, where a heat pump performs the initial temperature lift and MVR provides the final boost to steam conditions.
Although MVR systems can achieve very high efficiencies, the study notes that they often require multiple compression stages, additional equipment, and more complex installation when significant temperature lifts are needed. These factors can increase capital costs and affect overall project economics.
Carbon Reductions Exceed 90%
One of the most compelling findings from the analysis is the scale of emissions reductions achievable with electrified steam generation technologies.
(source livre blanc Solstice)
For a 1 MW food-processing steam application operating 24 hours per day and 250 days per year, a cascade configuration combining a heat pump with three MVR blowers achieved a 90.3% reduction in lifecycle CO₂ emissions compared with a conventional gas boiler. At the same time, total cost of ownership (TCO) decreased by 29%.
However, the most striking result emerged when researchers evaluated a high-temperature heat pump operating independently, without additional MVR equipment.
In this scenario, emissions were reduced by 89.8% while TCO fell by 37.4% relative to the gas boiler baseline. According to the study, this makes the standalone heat pump configuration the most economically attractive option for many low-pressure steam applications.
Economics Matter More Than Efficiency Alone
The research highlights an important lesson for industrial decision-makers: the most efficient technology is not always the most cost-effective.
While MVR systems can deliver excellent coefficients of performance, their additional capital expenditure can offset some of the operational savings. The analysis found that the higher equipment and installation costs associated with blower-based MVR systems can negatively impact total ownership costs, particularly for modest steam generation capacities commonly found in the food industry.
As a result, companies evaluating steam decarbonization strategies must consider not only energy efficiency but also installation requirements, maintenance costs, and long-term operational economics. The study’s TCO approach incorporates all of these factors, providing a more realistic basis for technology selection.
Energy Prices Will Influence Adoption
The business case for industrial heat pumps also depends heavily on local energy markets.
Researchers analysed the impact of the electricity-to-gas price relationship, commonly known as the “spark spread.” Countries with relatively low electricity prices and higher gas costs tend to offer the strongest economics for heat pump deployment. Conversely, regions where electricity remains expensive may experience longer payback periods and slower adoption rates.
This suggests that government incentives, electrification support schemes, and renewable energy expansion will continue to play an important role in accelerating industrial heat pump adoption across Europe.
Standardisation Could Further Reduce Costs
The report also points to significant opportunities for cost reductions through standardisation and scale.
Industrial heat pump capital costs are currently estimated at approximately €200 to €400 per kilowatt depending on configuration and technology. The authors conclude that wider deployment, standardized manufacturing processes, and the use of non-flammable refrigerants such as R-1233zd could reduce costs even further. According to the study, lowering equipment costs toward the lower end of that range could deliver an additional 5 to 10% reduction in total cost of ownership.
Such developments would strengthen the economic case for replacing existing gas boilers while making advanced heat pump systems accessible to a broader range of food manufacturers.
A New Phase of Industrial Decarbonisation
The first wave of industrial decarbonisation focused on replacing fossil-fuel heating systems. The next phase will address steam generation, one of the most energy-intensive and emissions-heavy processes in manufacturing.
The findings from the Solstice white paper suggest that high-temperature heat pumps are emerging as a practical and financially attractive solution for low-pressure steam applications widely used throughout the food and beverage sector. By combining substantial emissions reductions with lower lifecycle costs, these systems could enable manufacturers to advance their sustainability goals without compromising competitiveness.
For food processors pursuing net-zero strategies, the question is no longer whether steam can be decarbonized, but how quickly the transition can be scaled. Current evidence suggests that high-temperature heat pumps may provide one of the most promising answers.
*MVR: Mechanical Vapour Recompression
** spark spread: the difference between the selling price of electricity and the cost of the natural gas required to generate it
The findings discussed in this article are based on the Solstice Advanced Materials white paper “Investigating Heat Pump and Blower MVR as Low Pressure Steam Generation Options,” authored by Wissam Rached, Amr Rizk, and Kimura De Carvalho Bruno Yuji.
Credit: @Solstice Advanced Materials
