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The urgent challenge of reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions has created a growing demand for a more comprehensive understanding of how various technology options can contribute to achieving carbon neutrality. Energy efficiency has long been regarded as a key pathway in this context, but the volume and diversity of efficiency options has resulted in an unclear understanding of their combined impacts. In this study, we present a novel technology-explicit method to estimate the overall abatement potential associated with a comprehensive suite of 115 energy efficiency technologies spanning all relevant sector processes and energy types. By applying our flexible analysis framework to a case study of the Canadian pulp and paper sector, we demonstrate that energy efficiency could be the single largest contributor to achieving a carbon-neutral target for the sector. We find that efficiency can reduce emissions by 4.92 MtCO 2 e/yr (66%) relative to business-as-usual by 2050 at a weighted average abatement cost of -$162/tCO 2 e when accounting for capital, operating, maintenance, and energy costs. Abatement at the energy system-wide level is even larger, reaching 6.67 MtCO 2 e in 2050 when accounting for upstream effects. Adoption of the full suite of efficiency measures could materially improve the competitiveness of the sector by reducing energy and carbon costs. On the whole, our results suggest that proven energy efficiency technologies could be the primary element of a credible low-cost pathway towards achieving a target of carbon neutrality for the pulp and paper sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiency improvements such as the adoption of many energy efficiency measures represent a driver for increasing industrial process performance due to related economic costs and significant environmental impacts. The energy audit, a well-known tool for analyzing energy flow and assessing energy saving opportunities, is demonstrated in this paper as one of the steps in an energy efficiency initiative. The focus of this study is on investigating the outcomes of energy efficiency improvements and analyzing the benefits achieved under various energy efficiency measures from energy audits based on case studies. Specifically, the objectives of the paper are listed as follows: (i) multidimensionality of energy audits for energy conversion, (ii) example tools used for energy audits, (iii) outline of competences of energy auditors. By discussing energy audit structure, new insights into non-energy benefits are defined with very positive outcomes in achieving the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions in industrial processes. The results show that the cost-effective and energy conservation potentials represent reduction in energy consumption by 30%, 13%, 70%, 14%, 10%, and 5% respectively for targeted processes used by energy-efficiency investments. The energy-efficiency investment plans were carefully formed based on local realities with the reasonable and acceptable return period of less than 2 years. The paper demonstrated non-benefits for achieving industrial energy efficiency, which should be embodied in the energy auditing framework and considered by plant operations managers during evaluation of energy efficiency investments. Based on six case studies, competences of energy auditors are also formulated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved energy efficiency is one of the most effective strategies for achieving energy sustainability and independence locally, regionally and globally. Industry accounts for 40% of global energy usage each year, which suggests its potentially significant impact on overall energy use. The rapid development of standards for more efficient equipment and components are pushing manufacturers towards further improvements on a component level. However, it has been shown that the largest efficiency potential is actually found in higher system levels in which components serve, such as production processes, ventilation or hydraulic systems. Even though the importance of increasing energy efficiency at a systemic level has been widely acknowledged in recent years, practical approaches are seldom discussed in the literature. This gap between aspiration and achievement calls for the development of new approaches to foster system efficiency in industrial systems. This paper presents a systems analysis and corresponding model to increase the energy efficiency of industrial processes that involve intensive usage of electric motor systems. The model originates from traditional value stream mapping. Three case studies representing three different industrial processes were conducted to develop and validate the model. In total, 31 energy efficiency measures were identified, 29 of which address actions beyond component levels. Alongside identifications of energy efficiency measures, the model promotes the creation of conditions for cross-functional worker participation. By applying this model, the knowledge and skills gained by industrial personnel working with improved energy efficiency, maintenance and production processes can be used immediately to generate improvement suggestions. The paper concludes that this model, based on a simplified energy-focused value stream mapping, could broaden the scope of energy efficiency actions, engage a larger group of workers within the organisation and increase systems efficiency. This can be further used as a practical tool for finding continuous improvement possibilities that will result in strengthened competitiveness and more cost-effective and sustainable manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The EU has established so-called 20–20–20 targets, which in relation to energy mean that each Member State shall improve energy intensity levels by 3.3% annually, leading to a reduced primary energy use of 20% by the year 2020, calculated from a projected level based on the primary energy use in 2005. Sweden has established a less ambitious target of 1.7% annual energy intensity improvement through 2020. The aim of this paper is to evaluate, ex-ante, the EU 2020 primary energy target for the Swedish industrial sector. An applied backcasting methodology is used. The assessment made in this paper is that actions that lead to between 31.6 and 33.2 TWh/year reductions in energy end-use are needed if the EU target is to be achieved. Results from this paper shows that the current energy policy instruments are not sufficient to the EU or Swedish targets. Estimations in this paper are that a primary energy target of about 22.3 TWh/year is reasonable. The paper concludes by presenting a roadmap on how the Swedish 2020 target can be achieved through: i) energy management; ii) energy-efficient technology; and iii) energy supply measures, with an approximate cost of 280–300 MEUR or 75–80 kWh per public EUR. Three major additional policy measures are needed compared with the current policy: including all energy carriers, not just electricity, in the Swedish long-term agreements program PFE; setting up networks; and making it possible for third parties, i.e., industry, to deliver excess heat into the monopolized Swedish district heating grids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The European Energy Efficiency Directive requests the application of high quality and cost effective energy audits across Europe. The potential of up to 20% of energy savings shall be realized to follow the strategy of smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. A number of barriers must be tackled to implement the Directive, especially among small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A large number of cost effective energy efficiency measures remains unimplemented because of financial reasons, a lack of information, and limited in-house skills. Information measures, audits, capacity buildings are suggested as potentially effective measures to support implementation of energy efficiency measures. Within the work described in this paper, an auditing approach was developed, focusing on modelling the energy consumption of an SME. The model of the energy consumption is built using simple MS Excel tools, dividing the process into unit operations and attributing annual consumption to these units, from measurements or by calculation. Consumption is linked to drivers of consumption and corresponding losses, thus developing an understanding of the origin of energy consumption, priorities, and the potential for reduction. The approach simultaneously addresses the needs for the identification of measures, capacity building, information and awareness raising. The auditing approach was tested with 280 companies in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. A wide range of energy efficiency measures was identified and implemented, partly consisting of no-cost options, but partly also innovative technical solutions. Over EUR 10 million investments with a simple payback time of less than three years were triggered. 6500 toe per year of primary energy savings were realized, as well as greenhouse gas emission reductions of 13,500 tonnes per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospect of enabling more sustainable industries through energy efficiency innovations has received increased attention in policy and research. In Norway, previous studies have identified a techno-economic potential of 12 TWh reduction in direct energy use and an additional 10 TWh utilization of surplus heat, in industries. However, the novelty and complexity of energy efficient technologies can make their adoption, and hence utilizing this potential, difficult. This paper explores the development and implementation of two high-temperature heat pumps and one heat recovery concept in three R&D projects in the Norwegian manufacturing industry. Our qualitative research finds and explores three implementation paradoxes : 1) While the novelty of innovations partly explains why they are difficult to implement, novelty is also a motivator for firms' technology development strategies. 2) Both innovations close to core production technologies, as well as seemingly incremental innovations, can have system-wide consequences in the organizations, making them difficult to implement. 3) While implementation windows (changes to organizations and technical systems) positively affect firms' motivation, ability, and opportunity to develop and adopt innovations, these situations introduce time constraints, putting pressure on less mature technical solutions and R&D processes. Through unpacking these seemingly opposing dynamics, we find that the same factors can both promote and inhibit adoption of technologies during different stages of innovation processes. We discuss the managerial implications on how firms can align R&D collaborations with implementation opportunities, to enhance adoption of radical energy efficiency innovations. In conclusion, we discuss how these contributions can translate into future quantitative research. [Display omitted] • Case study of three radical energy efficiency innovations in Norwegian industry. • Implementation paradoxes promote and hinder adoption of technologies. • Novelty of innovations is both a motivator and hindrance towards implementation. • Implementation windows induce time constraints making adoption difficult. • Alignment between innovation processes and implementation windows is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]