Improvements in industrial energy performance

Individual manufacturing industries work with EPA through ENERGY STAR industrial focuses to improve energy efficiency. Each industry focus produces a benchmarking tool for measuring plant energy performance, the ENERGY STAR plant Energy Performance Indicator (EPI).

As focus industries advance in energy management and measure and track performance using their industry-specific EPI, EPA observes more plants achieving higher levels of performance. For an EPI to serve as an effective management tool, EPA must “re-baseline” the EPI, producing a new version of the EPI based on updated plant data for the industry.

This step gives EPA a unique opportunity to evaluate the energy improvements of a particular industry. Read about three industries that have improved their energy performance below.

The cement industry

Duke University evaluated the improvement in U.S. cement plant energy performance over a ten year period. Important findings include:

  • Energy intensity improved 13 percent
  •  The energy performance of the industry’s least efficient plants changed most dramatically
  • Total source energy savings were 60.5 trillion Btu annually
  • Environmental savings were 1.5 million metric tons of energy-related carbon

The improvement in energy intensity is shown below.

Graph showing improvement in energy intensity in cement industry between 1997-2008.

Source: Duke University

Further reading: Measuring Improvement in the Energy Performance of the U.S. Cement Industry
 

The motor vehicle manufacturing industry

Duke University evaluated the energy performance improvement for U.S. auto assembly plants over a five year period. Important findings include:

  • Fossil fuel use decreased by 12 percent
  • The gap between top performing plants and others closed while the performance of the industry as a whole improved
  • Environmental savings are more than 700,000 metric tons of energy-related carbon

The improvement in the energy intensity of auto assembly plants over a five-year period is illustrated below.

Graph showing improvement in energy intensity in auto industry between 2000-2005.

Source: Duke University

Further reading: Assessing Improvement in the Energy Efficiency of U.S. Auto Assembly Plants
 

The corn refining industry

Duke University evaluated the energy performance improvement of U.S. wet corn mills over a five year period. Important findings include:

  • A reduction of 6.7 trillion Btu in annual energy use
  • A 4.3 percent reduction in overall energy use
  • An annual reduction of 470 million kg of energy-related CO2 equivalent emissions from improved energy efficiency

The improvement in the energy intensity of corn refining plants over a twelve year period is illustrated below.

Graph showing improvement in energy intensity in wet corn mill industry between 1997-2009.

Source: Duke University

Further reading:  Measuring Improvement in the Energy Performance of the U.S. Corn Refining Industry