IHEA’s Industrial Heating Decarbonization SUMMIT achieved exactly what it was designed to do — start the conversations and begin the education process of decarbonizing heat processing technologies. IHEA’s Board of Directors felt the need to create a platform for those in the industry where information could be shared, and questions answered regarding the ever-popular buzzwords of sustainability and decarbonization.
It’s clear this is not an easy topic and there are no immediate solutions, but the SUMMIT provided a wealth of information and resources on ways companies can begin decarbonizing their processes. The two-day agenda started off strong with keynote speaker Dr. Avi Shultz, the director of the US Department of Energy’s Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO). Dr. Shultz leads IEDO’s strategy to accelerate the innovation and adoption of cost-effective technologies that eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Shultz set the tone for an incredible variety of perspectives, from the technical aspects to the diverse viewpoints presented by a powerful group of speakers. Their insights helped define the challenges of decarbonization and sparked ideas for future solutions. The SUMMIT concluded with a panel discussion by decarbonization experts, providing insights from their companies’ experiences.
The momentum continued throughout the SUMMIT with positive feedback from attendees, tabletop exhibitors and speakers. The level of engagement and enthusiasm was remarkable, and it’s clear that the exchange of ideas will continue to drive a more sustainable future in the industry. A record number of evaluations — 58% of the attendees completed an evaluation — were returned with critical feedback. The scores for speakers, the exhibition and the hotel were overwhelmingly positive.
A tabletop exhibit gave attendees the chance to speak one-on-one with exhibitors regarding ways they can assist the decarbonization process. Nearly everyone who turned in an evaluation noted the tabletops enhanced their SUMMIT experience. Likewise, the programming content was excellent.
“The event, and the overall response from attendees, far surpassed our expectations,” noted Anne Goyer, IHEA’s Executive Vice President. “We knew the industry was hungry for information but the reaction from attendees and exhibitors proved just how valuable the SUMMIT was.” Attendee comments included:
- “Keep the conversations going.”
- “The whole event was impressively well-executed.”
- “Loved the format!”
- “Absolutely awesome!”
Attendees also shared their suggestions on topics for the next SUMMIT as well as their concerns regarding decarbonization. IHEA promises to take the suggestions for the next SUMMIT to heart and deliver more valuable information for the industry.
IHEA encourages those who attended to keep the conversations going and continue to share your thoughts and ideas. If you missed the SUMMIT, we hope you will engage in helping plan the next one. Multiple people at the SUMMIT recognize that decarbonization cannot be tackled in a vacuum. Collaboration is key as we journey down this pathway together. Thanks to all IHEA members who attended. Watch for details on the next SUMMIT to be forthcoming soon!
2025 Calendar of Events
January 13–March 2, 2025
Fundamentals of Industrial Process Heating Online Course
Webinar | Register at www.ihea.org/events
January 13–March 23, 2025
Advanced Industrial Process Heating Online Course
Webinar | Register at www.ihea.org/events
January 16, 2025
Understanding Carbon Footprint and Costs of Atmosphere vs. Vacuum Processing
With a growing awareness of the environmental impact of thermal processing, environmental considerations are becoming more critical in operations and facilities planning. While financial planning information is often readily available, it can be difficult to compare equipment from a standpoint of environmental impact. This webinar will review a case study comparing energy consumption, operating cost, and emissions between a gas-fired atmosphere integral oil quench furnace and an electric batch vacuum oil quenching furnace performing metal heat treating.
Webinar | Register at www.ihea.org/events
For details on IHEA events, go to www.ihea.org/events
