Introduction
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites you to learn
more about the energy trends of certain industrial manufacturing
sectors, including the opportunities and challenges for improved energy
efficiency and clean energy use within these sectors. It is important to
note that this report is an analytical document and does not convey
Agency decision. The report’s findings and policy options are based on
the available data used in this analysis. EPA’s Sector Strategies
Division commissioned this analysis to meet the following objectives:
- Provide an overall understanding of current energy usage and
expected future energy consumption trends within 12 manufacturing
sectors;
- Assess where opportunities exist within these sectors to improve
energy efficiency and use less emissions-intensive energy sources;
- Identify barriers to achieving improved environmental performance
with respect to sector energy use; and
- Propose policy options to address regulatory barriers to improved
performance.
For the purposes of this report "Environmentally Preferable Energy
Outcomes" are achieved by reductions in energy-related air emissions
through increased energy efficiency (which reduces fuel consumption and
associated emissions) and/or transitioning to less emissions-intensive
energy sources.
- The analysis focuses primarily on criteria air pollutants but it
also includes some projections of carbon dioxide emissions. Other air
emissions, such as air toxics, as well as water and land impacts are
not included.
- The report indicates the amount of purchased electricity used by
each sector, but the energy related emissions discussed in this report
refer only to onsite emissions at industrial facilities.
- The analysis focuses on fuel inputs for energy use only and does
not address feedstock fuel use (i.e., fuel raw material inputs to the
manufacturing process).
Assessing energy usage trends and associated air emission impacts, as
well as the viability of specific energy efficiency and clean energy
opportunities, the report envisions environmentally preferable outcomes.
Identifying ways in which regulations and other barriers inhibit
improved energy efficiency and clean energy investment, the report
suggests policy options EPA could pursue to promote environmentally
preferable energy outcomes.
Sectors
The report details energy consumption trends and related air
emissions from the following sectors, which together represent 85% of
the industrial energy use in the United States:
- Aluminum
- Forest Products
- Motor Vehicles
- Cement
- Iron & Steel
- Motor Vehicle Parts
- Chemical
- Metal Casting
- Petroleum Refining
- Food
- Metal Finishing
- Shipbuilding
Key Opportunities
For each sector, the report provides "base case" and "best case"
energy scenarios and identifies opportunities for reduced energy-related
emission in five areas:
- Cleaner Fuels
- Combined Heat and Power
- Equipment Retrofit/Replacement
- Process Improvement
- Research and Development
Barriers
The report identifies and analyzes four main barriers to implementing
the key opportunities, providing specific sector examples of where these
barriers inhibit progress:
- Financial
- Technical
- Institutional
- Regulatory
Policy Options
The report suggests five policy options to promote discussion on ways
to overcome identified regulatory barriers:
- Develop and promote broader application of regulations that
recognize the emissions reductions resulting from increased energy
efficiency
- Increase procedural flexibility to promote
environmentally-preferable energy use
- Promote broader consideration of energy implications of
rulemakings
- Promote the development of more favorable market conditions for
energy efficiency and clean energy technologies
- Provide additional incentives and assistance through a
sector-based approach
Download Report
You can download individual sector chapters, or the full report
below.
You will need the free Adobe Reader to view some
of the files on this page. See
EPA's PDF page to
learn more.
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EPA Energy Trends
