A cost example from a brewery
Over ten years, fuel is by far the largest share of steam boiler costs. The purchase price makes up only a small share. When you compare steam boilers, it pays to take a close look at operating costs.
When you buy a steam boiler, the first thing you look at is the quoted price. That’s understandable. Over the years, though, other items drive the bill: fuel, water, maintenance and CO₂. To show how big the difference can be, we ran an example brewery through the JUMAG energy cost calculator. The JUMAG DG 560 costs €27,000 more to purchase than the comparison boiler and comes out around €82,500 cheaper after ten years.
The example operation
The calculation is based on a brewery with an average steam demand of 500 kg/h and 2,500 operating hours per year. Breweries need steam for wort boiling, for cleaning bottles and kegs, and for cleaning pipes and tanks.
| Parameter | Value in the example |
|---|---|
| Average steam demand | 500 kg/h |
| Operating hours | 2,500 h per year |
| Steam pressure | 7 bar |
| Condensate return | 60 %, 100 °C |
| Fresh water | 12 °C, conductivity 500 µS/cm |
| Fuel price | 8 cents per kWh |
| Water including wastewater and treatment | €3 per m³ |
| Electricity price | 27 cents per kWh |
| Period | 10 years, interest rate 4 % |
Two boilers for the same job
JUMAG DG 560: Rapid steam boiler with a nominal output of 560 kg/h. In this example, it is equipped with two economizers (the second one preheats the fresh water), a blowdown vessel with heat recovery, a reverse osmosis system, condensate return below the water surface and pressurized deaeration. How a DG 560 runs in a real brewery is shown in our Häffner Bräu reference.
Comparison boiler: Steam boiler with the same output, a flue gas temperature of 280 °C and 12 percent water carryover. €27,000 less expensive to purchase than the DG 560.
Energy is the largest cost item
In the example, the comparison boiler needs 406 kW of fuel input, the DG 560 around 360 kW. That is 11 percent less. Annual fuel costs come to €71,912, compared with €81,202 for the comparison boiler. The difference is around €9,300.
Most of this comes down to flue gas temperature. After two economizers, the flue gas leaves the DG 560 at around 90 °C, and the comparison boiler at 280 °C. Every extra degree is heat you have paid for that escapes unused up the chimney. Lower water carryover reduces losses further.
The boiler alone would need around 402 kW in this example. The savings come from the combination of boiler, economizers and heat recovery.
How much water does the more efficient boiler save?
In the example, the DG 560 uses around 575 m³ of water per year, the comparison boiler around 975 m³. Water costs drop from €2,925 to €1,726 per year.
Two effects are at work. Water carryover is cut in half to around 6 percent, so less initial condensate is produced. In addition, hot blowdown water has to be cooled to 40 °C before it goes into the sewer. With heat recovery, this heat flows into the fresh water, which saves around 160 m³ of cooling water per year.
Maintenance costs compared
The calculator assumes maintenance and repair costs of €3,500 per year for the DG 560 and €4,500 for the comparison boiler. Both figures are assumptions in the calculator. Over ten years, that adds up to a difference of €10,000.
Around 25 tonnes less CO₂ per year
In the example, the DG 560 emits around 198 tonnes of CO₂ per year, the comparison boiler around 223 tonnes. The calculation uses 0.22 kg of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour of fuel. Over ten years, the difference adds up to around 255 tonnes.
That amount comes with a price tag. Under Germany’s Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG), suppliers pass the CO₂ price on through the price of gas and heating oil. As of October 2026, the price corridor for 2026 is €55 to €65 per tonne, and the German Bundestag has decided to keep it for 2027. The EU emissions trading system for fuels (ETS2) is scheduled to start in 2028. Every kilowatt-hour you save also reduces this share of your costs.
The full calculation of steam boiler costs over ten years
Over ten years, the DG 560 saves €114,888 in operating costs. After deducting the higher purchase price including interest, it comes out €82,488 ahead.
| Costs over 10 years | JUMAG DG 560 | Comparison boiler | DG 560 advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | €719,122 | €812,022 | €92,900 |
| Water | €17,260 | €29,248 | €11,988 |
| Maintenance and repair | €35,000 | €45,000 | €10,000 |
| Electricity | €8,582 | €8,582 | €0 |
| Total operating costs | €779,964 | €894,852 | €114,888 |
| Additional purchase cost including interest | −€32,400 | ||
| Advantage after ten years | €82,488 | ||
| CO₂ emissions | 1,978 t | 2,233 t | 255 t |
The higher purchase price is recovered in the third year of operation. After that, the lead grows by around €11,000 every year.
All figures are calculated values from the JUMAG energy cost calculator for an example operation. They are based on JUMAG’s experience and calculations. Actual values in operation may differ. JUMAG sales prepares quotations individually.
What does the example mean for your boiler?
The same two values that define the comparison boiler also determine your current boiler’s consumption: flue gas temperature and water carryover. If your flue gas temperature is high and there is no heat recovery, you will see losses similar to those in the example.
How big the difference is for your operation also depends on operating hours, steam demand and energy prices. To find out whether replacing your boiler makes sense, read our article “When Does It Pay to Replace a Steam Boiler?”.
How does water quality affect a boiler’s service life?
Water quality largely determines how long a boiler lasts beyond the ten years in the calculation. Reverse osmosis water is almost salt-free: in the example, conductivity drops from 500 to 15 µS/cm, and the boiler needs to be blown down less often. Fewer deposits mean less stress on the pressure vessel. Servicing also costs less, because the boiler wears much less. If a boiler needs a new pressure vessel, JUMAG’s experience puts the cost at around €20,000. Good water treatment avoids this investment or postpones it by many years.
Would you like to know what your current boiler costs over ten years?
JUMAG compares your existing boiler with a JUMAG solution over ten years, covering energy, water, maintenance and CO₂, free of charge and with no obligation. You will receive your results within three days at the latest. Request your energy cost comparison.