Energy Efficiency
Improving energy efficiency is simply the first line of action to reduce emissions, together with material efficiency and demand reduction. Thanks to efficiency improvement, the EU has reduced its CO2 emissions in a 9% and its energy requirements in a 16% since 1990 . Continuing the effort, if the best available technologies (BAT) keep being applied, emissions will decrease by 15% in 2050 compared to 2015. Cefic defines energy intensity as the energy input per unit of chemicals production, and this kpi has decreased by 4.6% every year for the last 16 years or by 50% in total.
In terms of energy efficiency and GHG emissions, the complexity of the industry, its integrating possibilities that vary from installation to installation and the lack of public data, makes it very challenging to approach the subject with accuracy. Although energy efficiency improvements have demonstrated being a viable route to reduce emissions they won’t be enough to reach the decarbonisation levels required.
Feedstock and energy costs make up about 70 percent of a chemical company’s process costs, so savings in this department make a big impact. There are 4 focal points in order to save energy, feedstock’s, real time optimization, utilities and design changes.
The following information encapsulates the findings of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in their report Energy efficiency and GHG emissions: Prospective scenarios for the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry. It is worth mentioning that the study is based on bottom-up approach with data from 2013.
There are two cross-cutting technologies considered in the study: combined heat and power (CHP) and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Although CHP is already installed to a large extent in the chemical industry, the model foresees the installation of additional electrical capacity.
What are cross-cutting technologies?
A number of technologies can be commonly applied across different sectors, such as steam, motors, pumps, compressed air, heating, cooling, lighting etc.
Technology improvements are rather small but have a high impact on energy savings as they concern many sectors
In 2050, without any technological improvement, the energy consumption would be 4 % higher. The minor effect of technological improvements on energy savings can be partly explained by the fact that 73.5 % of the total energy consumed in the manufacturing of the products covered in the study is incorporated in the final products, and most of new technologies have an impact on the direct energy use, but not on the non-energy use. Most BATs reduce the electricity, thermal energy or steam consumed in the processes, but not directly the energy consumed as feedstock.
The new technologies that will have an impact in non-energy consumptions, like electrolysis to produce hydrogen or the use of biomass to substitute fossil fuels, are generating a debate which also includes the energy efficiency toll such technologies may bring along.
