By 2025, decarbonization will not be a distant goal, but an immediate necessity. While global climate goals are pressing, the industrial sector, responsible for approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is in the eye of the storm.
The transition to a sustainable model is unavoidable, but what barriers must we overcome to make this transformation a reality?
Challenges to decarbonize industry by 2025
As leaders in renewable energy and hydrogen technologies, we have identified the major challenges that will set the industry's agenda in the coming years. Moreover, there is an unquestionable truth: the implementation of these technologies is not only an environmental imperative, but also an opportunity to generate significant savings in the medium and long term.
1. Clean energy at scale: the infrastructure challenge.
While renewable energies such as solar and wind have proven to be pillars of the energy transition, the industry faces a critical barrier: insufficient infrastructure to meet high-intensity energy demands. By 2025, it will be essential to integrate efficient storage systems, such as advanced batteries or self-consumption or hydrogen solutions, that enable a continuous and stable supply independent of the grid.
Moreover, self-consumption systems based on renewable energy have already proven to be more economical than relying on volatile fossil fuels. For example, an industrial park that adopts photovoltaic or wind installations could reduce its energy costs by up to 40% over the lifetime of these systems, mitigating dependence on costly and vulnerable power grids. And if, in addition, it uses this solar energy to heat the water used in its industrial processes, the savings are multiplied and so is energy independence.
2. The cost of technological innovation
Innovation is leading decarbonization, but many companies still see upfront costs as an insurmountable obstacle. However, the numbers are changing rapidly. Technologies such as electrolyzers, needed to produce hydrogen, are already experiencing economies of scale. The key will be to democratize access to these solutions through government incentives, affordable financing and public-private partnerships.
3. Adaptation of industrial processes
Some industries, such as steel, cement or chemicals, have processes deeply rooted in the use of fossil fuels. The conversion to processes based on renewable energies and clean fuels, such as hydrogen, implies rethinking from scratch technologies that have been in use for decades. This requires not only investment, but also leadership, long-term vision and constant support to facilitate adaptation.
4. Coherent regulation and policies
Governments have a crucial role to play on the road to climate neutrality. By 2025, it will be essential to implement policies that favor decarbonization, such as carbon taxes, subsidies for projects based on clean technologies and setting clear emission reduction targets. However, regulatory inconsistency between regions can create uncertainty and delay investments.
A stable regulatory framework will not only drive the adoption of renewable energy, but will also allow companies to save millions by avoiding environmental penalties or additional costs associated with obsolete technologies. Therefore, a global, or at least regional, framework will be the catalyst we need.
5. Awareness and cultural change
Finally, no technological advance will be sufficient if organizations do not adopt a culture of sustainability. Decarbonization is not only an environmental imperative; it is also a movement towards efficiency, competitiveness and resilience in the face of climate shocks.
Companies that integrate self-consumption solutions with renewable energies will not only be contributing to the environment; they will be shielding their operations from future increases in energy prices and strengthening their image in the face of an increasingly demanding market and consumers. In addition, they will acquire an exemplary role before the rest of society.
The role of hydrogen in the transition
Among the most promising solutions is hydrogen, which is no longer a dream of the future, but a tangible reality. This clean fuel can replace natural gas in industrial processes, act as energy storage and be key to sustainable mobility. The key is to accelerate its adoption by building ecosystems that connect producers, distributors and consumers.
Decarbonizing industry is not a simple task, but 2025 cannot be seen as a distant horizon, but as the real turning point. Each company has the responsibility and the opportunity to lead this change. From our perspective, based on our experience offering energy self-consumption solutions, we know that the challenges are great, but the possibilities are even greater.
Today, more than ever, is the time to act. While the challenges are complex, technology, innovation and collective commitment give us the tools we need to overcome them. Because at the end of the day, it's not just about meeting targets; it's about ensuring a sustainable future for all.
