Introduction to Industrial Energy Efficiency

Energy Auditing, Energy Management, and Policy Issues

Patrik Thollander, Magnus Karlsson, Patrik Rohdin, Johan Wollin, Jakob Rosenqvist

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128172476
• eBook ISBN: 9780128172483
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Energy
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Introduction to Industrial Energy Efficiency: Energy Auditing, Energy Management, and Policy Issues offers a systemic overview of all key-aspects involved in improving industrial energy efficiency in various industry sectors. It is organized in three parts, each dealing with a particular perspective needed to form a complete view of related issues. Sections focus on energy auditing and improved energy efficiency of companies from a predominantly technical perspective, shed light on energy management and factors that hinder or drive the adoption of energy efficiency practices in the manufacturing industry, and explore energy efficiency policy instruments and how they are designed, implemented and evaluated. Practicing engineers in the field of energy efficiency, engineering and energy researchers coming into the field, and graduate students will find this book to be an invaluable reference on the fundamental knowledge they need to get started in this area. - Provides, in one volume, a comprehensive overview of energy systems efficiency and management that is applied to various industrial processes - Explores operational measures for improvement, including case studies from varying countries and sectors - Discusses the barriers to, and driving forces for, improving energy efficiency in industrial settings, including technical, behavioral, organizational and policy aspects

1

Introduction

Abstract

This chapter introduces the reader to the area of the book by first describing the importance of energy efficiency in industries. Thereafter, the reader is provided by the background on the issue of global warming in relation to energy efficiency, followed by some words on industrial energy use globally and the allocation of energy end-use in industrial companies. Then, the definition of the main theme of the book is presented, namely, “energy efficiency,” together with some adjacent concepts. Subsequently, the reader is given some words on the vertical perspective mainly applied in this book when discussing improvement of energy efficiency, followed by an introduction of the important systems perspective aspects when improving energy efficiency. Before giving a presentation on the disposition of the book, an introduction of the potential of improved energy efficiency directs the reader to the three parts that the book has been divided into: energy efficiency level, energy management level, and energy policy level.

Keywords

Energy efficiency; manufacturing industry; energy efficiency gap; systems perspective on energy efficiency; energy efficiency potential

Chapter Outline

Outline

• 1.1 Energy efficiency—“first fuel” 1
• 1.2 Background 2
  • 1.2.1 Climate change mitigation 2
  • 1.2.2 Key areas for reducing energy costs 3
• 1.3 Global industrial energy use 3
• 1.4 Energy end-use among different industrial companies 4
• 1.5 Energy efficiency 4
  • 1.5.1 EU’s energy efficiency directive, definitions—an example 6
• 1.6 Vertical or horizontal perspective 6
• 1.7 Systems perspective on energy efficiency 7
• 1.8 Potential for improved energy efficiency 8
  • 1.8.1 Energy efficiency and nonenergy benefits or multiple energy benefits 10
• 1.9 The disposition of the book 11
• References 12
• Further reading 13

1.1 Energy efficiency—“first fuel”

In addition to an increased share of renewable energy, more efficient energy use is by far the most important means for achieving sustainable energy systems—locally, regionally, and globally. Efficient energy use in the manufacturing industry is a key factor in ensuring that individual companies, industries, and industry as a whole continue to be competitive on a global market with scarce resources. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),¹ more efficient energy use in industry is the single most important means of preventing global warming. The International Energy Agency is in the same line, calling energy efficiency first fuel, that is, the first action that should be taken.

Efficient industrial energy use refers to everything from operational energy efficiency measures in the production process and capital-intensive major investments in new production lines, to technology solutions for controlling supply temperatures in heating systems, procurement of energy services from external energy service providers, implementation of energy audits, internal energy management work, and the establishment of energy strategies at management level in an organization and more. This complexity regarding both technology and organization places high demands on the organization as well as the competence for the energy efficiency work to be carried out successfully. This book aims at increasing knowledge for our readers about, and thus promoting, a more efficient industrial energy use. The focus is on manufacturing industry, but much of the content is applicable in other sectors and industries as well. Efficient energy use, in turn, contributes to the cost-effective improvement of industrial energy systems, the elimination of barriers to energy efficiency, and the improvement of the procurement competency of the industry in terms of energy-related products and services.

1.2 Background

Global climate change due to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which, in turn, is a consequence of primarily the use of fossil fuels for energy supply, is pushing decision-makers in taking important decisions related to climate change mitigation. Within the EU, the EU Energy Service Directive (ESD) was launched in 2006 aimed at improving energy efficiency by 9% to 2016. In 2012 the ESD was replaced by the Energy Efficiency Directive. The aim of the 2012 directive was to reduce energy end-use by 20% by 2020, compared with the 2005 level. The new target within the EU for 2030 was set in 2018 and states a 32.5% improvement in energy end-use by 2030.

1.2.1 Climate change mitigation

The human-related, so-called anthropogenic, environmental problems have changed over the centuries; from local and regional phenomenon to today’s global environmental issues such as ozone thinning and increased greenhouse effect. These induce entirely new demands on how to pursue sustainable environmental work. Many researchers today consider that global climate change is by far the greatest threat to mankind (IPCC, 2014). The use of fossil fuels is the single largest cause of the emergence of global climate change issues. Therefore, the highest priority in sustainable environmental work is to limit greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing measures to improve sustainability on regional and local levels. All gases, except for the two-atom molecules containing only one kind of atoms (N₂, H₂, O₂, etc.), are so-called greenhouse gases. The strength of a greenhouse gas is due to the gas’s ability to absorb heat radiation and its useful life. Methane is, for example, a 23 times stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Gases with absorption bands where the atmosphere is transparent, gives rise to extremely strong greenhouse gases. Examples of gases with these properties are those which contain bonds between carbon and chlorine and carbon and fluorine, the so-called freons. Despite the fact that carbon dioxide is not a particularly strong greenhouse gas, the extensive combustion of fossil fuels means that these emissions, compared with other greenhouse gases, are very large.

Global climate change, EU’s efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions and rising energy prices, means that there are strong incentives for both state and industry to act strongly to achieve more efficient supply and end-use of energy.

1.2.2 Key areas for reducing energy costs

The negative effect of increased energy costs can be reduced in two ways: either th...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Preface
• 1. Introduction
• 2. General energy theory
• Part I: Energy efficiency gap
• Part II: Energy management gap
• Part III: Energy policy gap
• Index