With manufacturers continuing to face rising operational costs and ongoing pressure to reduce emissions, the transition to lower-carbon production is becoming an increasingly delicate balancing act, writes Alastair Lovell, Head of Sustainable Fuels at Calor.
Recent research from Make UK found that UK electricity prices remain 46% higher than the global average[1], placing additional strain on businesses already navigating a changing landscape. Against this backdrop, manufacturers are being challenged to improve efficiency, strengthen resilience and remain competitive – all while continuing to invest in decarbonisation initiatives.
In many manufacturing environments, production runs continuously, meaning heating systems need to deliver stable performance over continued operating periods. If this supply is inconsistent, production lines can slow or stop, reducing output, increasing waste and driving up operational costs.
Electrification is often presented as a path to industrial decarbonisation, with some businesses already deploying electric technologies such as electric boilers and industrial heat pumps across the sector. However, for energy-intensive industries that rely on high-temperature processes, a full transition to electric heating remains challenging.
Infrastructure constraints, the capability of current electrification technologies and limitations to electricity networks in some regions all present challenges to industrial demand.
For example, industrial heat pumps typically deliver temperatures between 70 degrees and 200 degrees Celsius, making them suitable for low and medium temperature processes. However, this makes them unsuitable for industries like chemicals or glass, where temperatures consistently exceed 500 degrees Celsius.
As a result, many manufacturers are exploring alternative pathways to reduce emissions while maintaining existing production infrastructure and operational continuity.
Navigating a path to a lower-carbon future
Lower-carbon fuel alternatives can provide a practical route to reducing environmental impact. One such option is liquified petroleum gas (LPG), which is already widely used across the manufacturing sector and well suited to generating the hot temperatures required for more demanding processes.
Producing around 20 per cent less carbon dioxide than fuel oil and roughly one third less than coal per unit of energy[2], LPG burns more cleanly and more efficiently than heavier fuels. This helps reduce the carbon intensity of process heating, while lower levels of particulates and sulphur compounds mean less soot and residue build-up on equipment, along with improved air quality within and around industrial facilities.
It also provides operational flexibility, with the ability to adjust heat output rapidly, allowing operators to maintain stable production conditions while responding to changes in demand. This responsiveness is particularly valuable in sectors where temperature control directly affects quality and production efficiency.
While LPG can offer immediate emissions reductions compared with other fossil fuels, companies are also increasingly exploring renewable alternatives that can further reduce the carbon intensity of industrial heat without requiring major infrastructure changes.
Going one step further
For manufacturers looking to build on the benefits of LPG, BioLPG presents a renewable alternative capable of supporting longer-term sustainability goals. Chemically identical to conventional LPG, BioLPG is produced from renewable feedstocks such as waste oils and residues. Because it is fully compatible with existing infrastructure or equipment, it can be blended with or substituted for conventional LPG without requiring operational modifications or costly system upgrades. This allows manufacturers to introduce renewable fuel sources gradually, transitioning from higher-carbon fuels to LPG and then increasing the proportion of BioLPG over time as decarbonisation strategies evolve.
Depending on the feedstock used in its production, lifecycle assessments indicate that BioLPG can reduce carbon emissions by up to 84 per cent[3] compared with oil and by as much as 80 per cent compared with conventional LPG. These reductions are delivered through a mass balance approach, whereby BioLPG is blended with standard LPG at a storage facility and delivered to site using cylinders or bulk delivery fleets. This allows manufacturers to benefit from lower-carbon energy without the need for dedicated infrastructure – and also provides verified savings through the Green Gas Certification Scheme, providing clear and auditable evidence of carbon reductions.
A route to lower-carbon manufacturing
The decarbonisation of manufacturing is unlikely to be achieved through a single technological breakthrough. Instead, it will require a phased and practical approach, combining incremental efficiency improvements with the gradual adoption of lower-carbon technologies and fuels.
Within this transition, fuels such as LPG and BioLPG can provide manufacturers with a realistic and commercially viable pathway to reducing emissions from industrial heat without disrupting operations.
For sectors reliant on high-temperature processes, the transition to net zero will inevitably take time. However, practical action taken today can still deliver meaningful progress. By adopting energy solutions that integrate with existing infrastructure while offering measurable emissions reductions, manufacturers can move towards lower carbon production without compromising performance, resilience or competitiveness.
For more information on Calor, or its products and services, visit www.calor.co.uk.
[1] https://www.makeuk.org/insights/reports/tackling-electricity-prices-manufacturers
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2025
[3] DESNZ (Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero) Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors 2025.
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