Designing a roadmap for industrial process heat electrification at ComEd
Designing a roadmap for industrial process heat electrification at ComEd
Before committing to a full pilot, ComEd needed evidence. CLEAResult Energetics is conducting a structured feasibility study that will show ComEd exactly where to start — and why.
Client
ComEd, an Exelon company serving northern Illinois
Industry
Industrial and manufacturing energy efficiency
Engagement
Feasibility study for an industrial process heat electrification pilot
Program foundation
ComEd's Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program
The challenge
Process heat drives most of the energy use in manufacturing. Much of it is still powered by natural gas, whether it's steam for production, hot water for sanitation, or heat for drying and curing. Electric technologies such as industrial heat pumps, electric boilers, and thermal storage are maturing quickly. Even so, manufacturers face real barriers to adopting them:
- Complex integration with existing systems
- Concerns about downtime and product quality
- Capital costs and electrical capacity constraints
- Workforce readiness
ComEd wanted to find where electrification can deliver the most value for its industrial customers, and to design a future pilot that is strategic, scalable, and cost-effective.
The approach
ComEd commissioned a feasibility study as the first phase of an industrial electrification pilot. The study evaluates the technical, economic, and market readiness of electrification across priority industrial sectors.
Building on a trusted foundation
Rather than starting from scratch, CLEAResult Energetics built the study on the relationships and data already in place through ComEd's Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program. CLEAResult Energetics has delivered the program since 2015, and it earned the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's "Leader of the Pack" award in 2024. Screening nearly 90 SEM participants for signs of electrification readiness quickly narrowed the field to a strong shortlist of candidates for deeper engagement.
From market insight to a pilot design framework
The study has four parts:
- Market characterization: identifying the industrial segments and facilities most ready for electrification, based on their thermal needs and how they operate
- Customer engagement: hearing directly from facility energy managers and operations teams about their barriers, priorities, and what drives their investment decisions
- Technical screening: assessing which electric technologies could realistically replace existing gas-fired processes at candidate sites
- Pilot design framework: turning the findings into a roadmap for a future pilot, including priority use cases, candidate sites, and a plan for measuring success
Throughout, the team looks at both the technical factors, such as process type and load characteristics, and the human side, including capital constraints, workforce readiness, and the non-energy benefits that often shape investment decisions. The result will be a clear, evidence-based foundation for ComEd's next pilot phase, with draft eligibility criteria, performance metrics, and incentive concepts.
Value for participating customers
Participating manufacturers receive the study findings and a view of the most promising electrification opportunities at their own facilities. They also have a chance to be recognized for their leadership through ComEd.
Why CLEAResult Energetics
CLEAResult Energetics brings to this study the same technical foundation it has developed through its support of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) national industrial energy efficiency initiatives, including technology modeling and program design that inform DOE's own industrial-sector data, tools, and programs. Process heat electrification requires specialized expertise because the most effective solution depends on a facility's unique processes, temperature requirements, and operating profile. Drawing on deep industrial-sector experience, CLEAResult Energetics helps utilities and industrial customers evaluate electrification pathways that are technically sound, economically viable, and aligned with long-term decarbonization goals, turning deep technical expertise into the evidence utilities need to invest with confidence.
Looking ahead
The feasibility study runs through early 2027 and will conclude with a final report and a Pilot Design Framework — the roadmap ComEd needs to launch and scale a future pilot. Rather than relying on assumptions, ComEd will have the data and analysis it needs to focus future investments where they are most likely to deliver value.
Let's talk industrial electrification
Interested in what CLEAResult Energetics could bring to your organization's industrial electrification, process heat, or decarbonization goals?