FUTURE BOILER TRENDS

This is a very important topic. The boiler industry is in the biggest transformation phase in decades, not only in the world but also in Vietnam.

Based on industry analysis and news, the future trend of boilers is no longer focused on simply "generating steam", but on "generating steam in the **smartest**, **cleanest** and **most efficient** way".

Here is a summary of the key trends that will shape the boiler market in the coming years (2026 onwards).

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### 1. "Greening" Trend: Decarbonization and Alternative Fuels

This is the most important and urgent trend, driven by environmental commitments (such as QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT in Vietnam) and pressure from the carbon market (ETS).

* **Electric Boilers:**
* **Trend:** Use electricity (ideally renewable) to generate steam.
* **Advantages:** Zero on-site emissions, near 100% efficiency, super fast start-up.
* **Future:** Will become extremely popular as renewable electricity prices fall and the grid becomes more stable. Very suitable for food and medical plants that require absolute cleanliness.

* **Hydrogen Boilers:**
* **Trend:** This is considered the "ultimate future" of boilers.
* **Technology:** "Hydrogen-Ready" boilers are being developed. They can burn natural gas now and convert to burning 100% hydrogen in the future without major replacement.

* **Advantages:** When burning Green Hydrogen, the only emission is water (H₂O).

* **Biomass Boilers & Fluidized Bed Boilers:**
* **Trend:** Utilizing biomass fuel (rice husk, sawdust, wood chips...) and waste (Waste-to-Energy) to generate energy.

* **Technology:** Fluidized bed boilers (CFB) are the mainstream technology, allowing for high-efficiency combustion of diverse fuels and treatment of emissions (such as SOx) right in the combustion chamber by adding limestone.

### 2. Trend to Maximize Efficiency: "Don't Waste a Single Dollar"

Increasing fuel costs force businesses to optimize every % of efficiency.

* **Condensing Boilers:**
* **Trend:** Becoming the new standard for gas/oil boilers.
* **Technology:** Utilizing the latent heat in the flue gas (by condensing the steam in the gas), helping to push the furnace efficiency up to over 90%, even 95-98%.
* **Waste Heat Recovery System (HRSG):**
* **Trend:** Becoming a "standard" instead of an "option".
* **Technology:** Economizers and Air Preheaters will be more deeply integrated to maximize the heat from the flue gas, reducing the flue gas temperature to the lowest possible level.

### 3. Industry 4.0 Trend: Digitalization and Automation

The boiler of the future is a "smart asset" connected to the network.

* **IoT and Remote Monitoring:**
* **Trends:** Sensors (pressure, temperature, flow, water pH) will continuously transmit data to the "cloud".
* **Benefits:** Operators (and suppliers such as Thermal Solutions) can monitor the boiler 24/7 via phone, computer, detecting problems immediately.
* **Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Predictive Maintenance:**
* **Trends:** AI will analyze operating data in real time.
* **Benefits:** AI can automatically optimize fuel/air ratio to save fuel, and predict failures (e.g. "Sensor X shows signs of deterioration, needs to be replaced in the next 2 weeks") before it happens, eliminating sudden shutdowns.

### 4. Legal Trends: Tightening Emission Control

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations (such as QCVN 19:2024/BTNMT) require boilers to be equipped with advanced exhaust gas treatment systems.

* **Dust Treatment:** Electrostatic precipitators (ESP) and bag filters (Bag Filter) will replace simple cyclone systems to treat ultra-fine dust.

* **SOx and NOx Treatment:** SOx removal (using lime) and NOx removal (SCR, SNCR technology) technologies will become more popular, especially with fossil fuel or biomass boilers.

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### Summary of Impact on Thermal Solution Companies

Looking at these trends, thermal engineering companies like yours have a great opportunity if:

1. **Embrace green technology:** Start researching and providing high-efficiency electric boiler and biomass fluidized bed boiler solutions.

2. **Focus on efficiency:** Become an expert in "condensing" and "heat recovery" solutions.

3. **Provide 4.0 services:** Integrate remote monitoring packages, predictive maintenance (using IoT/AI) into your maintenance services.

4. **Understand the law:** Consult and provide exhaust gas treatment systems that meet the latest QCVN standards.

This is a very challenging time but also full of opportunities for transformation. Would you like me to learn more about one of these new technologies, for example "condensing boiler technology" or "fluidized bed boiler"?