Boilers, furnaces and stoves: Overview
The quiet workhorse behind steam, steel, cement and dinner
What this tile covers Burning fuel for heat: industrial boilers, kilns, furnaces, gas and biomass stoves. Share of use 41% share of final energy use (2024)Share of world total final energy consumption (about 435 EJ, calculated: motor systems 13,462 TWh are 53% of electricity, so about 25,400 TWh or 91 EJ, and electricity is about 21% of final energy) that passes through this device or is used by this sector, latest year available. Electricity-based devices use electricity's 21% share of final energy (IEA WEO 2025). Overlaps between devices and sectors are allowed and noted. Heat was almost half (taken as 48%) of world final energy in 2024. District heat supplies about 9% of final heat (IEA, 2022), and electricity, solar thermal and geothermal a further few per cent; taking about 85% of heat as coming from burning fossil fuels and biomass in boilers, furnaces, kilns and stoves gives about 41% (calculated). The 85% is an assumption consistent with these shares, not a published figure. Source: Renewables 2025: Renewable heat, International Energy Agency.
Key facts
| Chain | Chemical → heat → steam or hot water |
Included from the reference tables
- Industrial boilers and steam systems
- Furnaces and kilns
- LPG and gas stoves
- Biomass cookstoves
- Gas boilers
Also in Conversion devices
ST Steam turbines and thermal power plantsCCGT Gas turbines and combined cycleICE Internal combustion engines and gensetsGen Generators and alternatorsMot Electric motors and drivesPE Transformers and power electronicsFC Fuel cellsElz ElectrolysersHP Heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigerationEH Electric heatingLED Lighting and displaysExplore paths from here
More on this tile in the tabs above: science and limits, value chain, unit economics, engineering methods, equipment and suppliers.