Celsio

Steam is the primary medium for process heat in the 100°C and 500°C temperature range, accounting for over 20% of total industrial energy consumption in Germany. Today, 72% of this process heat – used mainly in the paper, chemical and food & beverages industry - is produced by burning fossil fuels, mostly natural gas. Companies in these industries are facing increasing pressure on their heat supply. Since 2020, energy prices have doubled, and stakeholders are increasingly demanding clear steps toward decarbonization. Electrification is the only alternative available at scale. While the necessary hardware exists, electricity remains, on average, 150% more expensive than natural gas. 

With Celsio, we make the electrification of steam generation economically viable. As a next generation electricity provider, we trade on electricity markets and control steam generation assets. Using our AI algorithms, we identify and execute the best trading strategy across electricity and balancing markets to capture the full value of flexibility in steam generation systems. The most common form of flexibility is a hybrid system combining electrical and existing steam generation. In such systems, we can prioritize the electrical asset in times of cheap electricity and fall back to conventional generation in case of low renewable generation. Our deep asset integration allows us to react to short-term market signals. Looking ahead, we will optimize fully decarbonized systems using thermal storage components or hybrid systems with biomass. 

As a result, we reduce energy costs through our hybrid system compared to relying solely on natural gas. At the same time, we provide a clear path towards decarbonization while not just keeping but improving our customer’s economic competitiveness.