• 5 MIN READ

Industrial boilers: Modernization through a workforce lens   

What powers a significant portion of America’s industrial base, yet goes unnoticed by most people? Meet the industrial boiler.

Industrial boilers operate quietly across different types of facilities, supplying the heat that keeps many industrial processes running day after day. They are rarely visible to the public but deeply embedded in the systems that support industrial production across the country. As these systems age and efforts expand to improve efficiency, maintain reliable operations, and reduce emissions, attention is increasingly turning to boiler modernization.

While discussions often focus on technological or emission-related outcomes, they also raise important questions about how the workforce that operates and maintains these systems could be impacted and how modernization efforts intersect with industrial jobs.

What is an industrial boiler?

An industrial boiler is a pressure vessel used across manufacturing, processing, mining, and refining industries to produce steam or hot water for industrial processes. They are commonly found in sectors such as food processing, chemicals, refining, pulp & paper, and primary metals.

Unlike residential or commercial systems, industrial boilers are designed to operate continuously, handle high pressures and temperatures, and meet the demands of industrial-scale operations. Industrial boilers play a foundational role across US industry.

Why do industrial boilers matter?

Industrial boilers play a central role in providing heat across many energy-intensive sectors that form the backbone of the US economy. As a result, industrial boilers account for a meaningful share of on-site energy use and combustion-related emissions across many sectors, with impacts varying by end use, fuel type, and operating conditions. For example, one recent analysis illustrates the scale of industrial boilers’ contribution to industrial energy use: thermal processes accounted for 75 percent of US industrial final energy demand in 2018, and conventional industrial boilers used for steam generation consumed 17 percent of that thermal energy (excluding cogeneration).

Many industrial boilers in use today were installed decades ago and designed around earlier efficiency standards, fuel types, control systems, and the technological capabilities available at the time. While individual components can be repaired, replaced, or upgraded over time, these changes do not always amount to full system modernization. In some cases, modernization requires more than a component swap, shaping how and when broader upgrades occur.

Moreover, changing an industrial boiler system is not just a technical or operational decision. The impact of upgrading or replacing industrial boilers can influence how these systems operate and are maintained, shaping workforce roles, skill requirements, and day-to-day responsibilities at industrial facilities.  

Where are industrial boilers concentrated?

Recent mapping from Evergreen Action shows that industrial boilers are not evenly distributed across the country, with states such as California, Illinois, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Texas hosting some of the highest concentrations nationwide. Beyond state-level concentration, Evergreen Action’s analysis shows that industrial boilers are often clustered within established industrial and manufacturing hubs, closely aligned with where industrial activity is most concentrated. This clustering reflects the role boilers play in supporting energy-intensive industrial processes, rather than being evenly distributed across all regions nationwide.  

Understanding where industrial boilers are concentrated can impact modernization planning and how workforce capacity and skill demands are considered as systems are upgraded or replaced. Taken together, understanding the importance and concentration of industrial boilers helps clarify where modernization opportunities are likely to emerge and where emission-reduction efforts may be most impactful.

Static photo of Evergreen Action's interactive industrial boiler mapping tool.
Evergreen Action’s interactive industrial boiler map. For more information, view their full resource.

Three workforce considerations in industrial boiler modernization.

While industrial boiler modernization is often discussed through an energy or emissions lens, the pace, scale, and location of these upgrades also carry direct implications for the industrial workforce. These discussions can shape staffing needs, skill requirements, and job opportunities across facilities. The following workforce considerations highlight key factors to keep in mind as industrial boiler modernization moves forward.  

1. The continued need for a skilled workforce

Even as industrial boiler systems modernize, they will continue to rely on a skilled workforce to operate, maintain, and repair high-pressure steam and hot-water systems. National labor data shows that roles such as stationary engineers and boiler operators remain central to boiler operations across industrial facilities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations associated with industrial boiler operation and maintenance are expected to see approximately 3,800 job openings per year, on average, driven primarily by replacement needs, with overall employment projected to grow by about two percent over the next decade.

As modernization efforts move forward, workforce demand is therefore shaped less by whether these jobs exist and more by how roles, skill requirements, and training pathways evolve alongside changes to industrial boiler technologies.

2. Emissions and health impacts

Industrial boilers are a significant source of combustion-related air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, and other hazardous air pollutants released during industrial heat generation. Additionally, industrial boilers are responsible for up to 10 percent of industrial carbon emissions and six percent of industrial NOx emissions nationwide. Exposure to industrial air pollution is associated with increased risks of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and other adverse health outcomes for workers and surrounding communities.

In facilities where industrial boilers operate continuously, these emissions shape the day-to-day environment in which workers operate and maintain equipment. Modernization efforts that reduce these types of emissions will have implications beyond environmental performance, improving air quality and supporting healthier working conditions for the workforce operating in and around these systems.

3. Infrastructure readiness and challenges

The modernization of industrial boilers often requires more than changes to the equipment itself. In some instances, existing electrical and energy infrastructure may not be sufficient to support new or electrified industrial heat systems without upgrades. Constraints related to on-site electrical capacity, distribution systems, and integration with existing processes can affect both the timing and feasibility of modernization efforts.

These infrastructure-related constraints mean that modernization is often not a simple equipment swap, but a broader system-level effort that may require additional site preparation, electrical upgrades, and coordination across facilities and utilities. As a result, these dynamics can influence not only the pace or sequencing of modernization, but also the scope of work required, shaping workforce needs for planning, coordination, and the deployment of skilled labor as facilities prepare for new systems.

Final thoughts.

Taking all these considerations together, the modernization of industrial boilers is not solely about reducing emissions or improving energy performance. Decisions about how and when these systems are upgraded intersect with the continued need for a skilled workforce, the potential for improved air quality and health outcomes, and the practical realities of infrastructure readiness at industrial facilities. Considering all these factors helps provide a bigger picture of what industrial boiler modernization looks like in practice and the conditions required to support it over time.

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Labor Engagement Manager for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Alejandro comes to GPI from Labor Union SEIU-United Service Workers West. He represented union workers from downtown Los Angeles and LA’s westside corridor of Century City, Westwood, and Beverly Hills. Alejandro enforced various collective bargaining agreements for union workers, ensuring annual wage increases, health insurance, and other benefits and protections. In addition, he worked with union leaders and outside stakeholders, such as community partners, public agencies, politicians, and industry experts, to develop and execute union campaigns. Alejandro was also part of the Los Angeles-Justice for Janitors 2021 union contract campaign—he helped execute and coordinate large-scale actions across LA’s metropolitan area. Previously, he served as the Nevada state canvassing director at For Our Future Action Fund. He holds a BA in international studies and Italian from the University of Kansas.

Senior Program Coordinator for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Carrie Danner joined the Great Plains Institute in 2023 and serves as the operations coordinator for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. In her work, she supports all projects within the program to elevate operations, particularly in grant-making and event planning. Carrie earned a bachelor’s degree from Knox College in environmental studies. Prior to joining GPI, she supported programs at the Conservation Corps of Minnesota & Iowa as their member experience administrator.

Industry Program Coordinator, GPI

Alana joined GPI in 2024 as a program associate on the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team, specifically supporting the Industrial Innovation Initiative, where she helps to advance industrial decarbonization through GPI’s consensus-building approach. Alana previously worked as an account executive at Jamf, where she helped current K-12 education customers improve and scale the management and security of their Apple device deployments. Alana has spent most of her professional years working with Minnesota nonprofits, including two years as an AmeriCorps member with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in community environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Zachary Byrum, Research Analyst, WRI

Zachary Byrum is a Research Analyst in WRI's U.S. Climate Program, where he provides technology and policy analysis for carbon removal and deep decarbonization. His work focuses on pathways to reduce industrial emissions as well as bolstering technological carbon removal. Prior to WRI, Zach was a research assistant in the Carbon Management Research Initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy. In the preceding years, he served as White House Intern in the National Economic Council under the Obama Administration and then an assistant analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. Zach holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Goucher College.

Senior Advisor of Industrial Innovation, WRI United States

Angela Anderson is the Director of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Removal in the Climate Program. She leads WRI's growing portfolio of work in industrial decarbonization and carbon removal and aims to change narratives around “hard-to-abate” sectors and promote the natural and technological interventions required to achieve net-zero targets. Prior to joining WRI, Angela worked as a program director, coalition builder, international advocate, and campaign strategist. She led the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists for ten years; facilitated US-NGO engagement in the international climate negotiations while at US Climate Action Network and at the Pew Environmental Trust; and founded Clear the Air, a national coalition to reduce pollution from power plants. Angela holds a B.A. in political science from Colorado State University.

Vice President of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Patrice Lahlum is the Vice President of the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management program at the Great Plains Institute. The Institute, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, works with diverse stakeholders and communities across the country to transform the energy system to benefit people, the economy, and the environment. We strive to combine our unique consensus-building approach, expert knowledge and analysis, and local action to promote solutions that strengthen communities, shore up the nation’s industrial base, and enhance domestic energy independence, all while eliminating carbon emissions. Patrice oversees several initiatives, including the Carbon Capture Coalition, Industrial Innovation Initiative, Carbon Action Alliance, and the Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative.

Senior Content Specialist for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Kate Sullivan joined the Great Plains Institute in 2019. As Senior Content Specialist, Kate uses her analytical and design skills to provide research, writing, and logistical support across the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management team. Prior to joining GPI, Kate worked as an Energy Counselor in the Center for Energy and Environment’s residential department, assisting homeowners with their energy needs and providing resources for efficiency upgrades. Kate earned her BA in Biology from St. Olaf College with an emphasis in Environmental Studies.

Senior Program Manager for Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management, GPI

Jill Syvrud joined the Great Plains Institute in 2017 and serves as the program manager for the Industrial Innovation and Carbon Management Program. In addition to overseeing the overall program, Jill directly supports the Industrial Innovation Initiative, a coalition advancing decarbonization solutions for the Midcontinent region’s most important industrial sectors. Jill earned a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a master of science degree in science technology and environmental policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Jill’s past experience includes multiple graduate research assistantships concentrating on technology innovation and sustainable megacities, as well as a previous position as an administrative and outreach coordination intern with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.