Ahead of COP28, a new report gives corporate leaders a roadmap to save 11% of global emissions by 2030 while saving $437 billion along the way. The report, named “The Case for Industrial Energy Efficiency” published by the Energy Efficiency Movement (EEM), outlines ten key actions for industry that require no new technology or policy decisions, but promise to save emissions. The Case for Industrial Energy Efficiency shows significant and achievable emission reductions in the short and long term. All ten actions included can be taken today, and almost half of the emissions savings could be achieved by 2025. There is also a financial incentive to this, as the report has calculated that the ten actions would produce an estimated $437 billion in savings across the sector by 2030. The International Energy Agency (IEA) among industry leaders such as Alfa Laval, ABB and Microsoft have supported this transformative research. Alfa Laval is also an active member of the Energy Efficiency Movement (EEM), a global forum consisting of more than 400 organizations from 36 countries that share ideas, best practices, and commitments to create a more energy-efficient world.
“Energy efficiency is crucial for meeting the Paris Agreement on time and the industry plays a major role in making it happen. There is an urgent need for immediate response and action, and this EEM report visualizes key actions to save energy and reduce emissions already today,” says Thomas Møller, President of Energy Division, Alfa Laval.
Ten actions for a complete energy-efficient process
The ten key actions are divided into three pillars: Building an efficiency foundation, Driving efficiency returns, and Gaining efficiency insights. Each action has been individually quantified in terms of carbon savings and (where applicable) financial benefits.
Heat exchangers - a key action towards net zero
One of the key actions of the report is ‘Maintain efficient heat exchangers’. Heat exchangers are used widely across the commercial and industrial sectors, in areas such as building heating and air conditioning, refrigeration, and data center and fuel cell cooling, yet they are rarely maintained adequately. On this action, the report states that:
- Up to 2.5% of global carbon emissions can be saved just by maintaining and regularly servicing heat exchangers.
- New heat exchangers can be up to 25% more efficient than old ones.
- The replacement of obsolete heat exchangers in industrial and commercial settings could save between 136 and 339 MtCO2 a year.
By implementing all ten measures, industries can optimize their energy use across their entire process. All the industry sector needs to eliminate more than a tenth of the world’s emissions is not a new fuel or some other as-yet-unclear breakthrough, but a simple acknowledgment that energy efficiency deserves board-level backing.
IEA has made clear that renewables alone will not be enough to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement. Improving energy efficiency, particularly within industry, will play a huge role under the IEA’s 1.5°C-aligned net zero scenario. Indeed, the IEA refers to energy efficiency as the “first fuel” of the energy transition.
According to the IEA, doubling energy efficiency by 2030 could cut greenhouse gas emissions by almost a third compared to today’s levels. Therefore, there is an urgent need for industry to make more and better use of the mature, scalable technologies at hand.
•
26 w
This article is misleading .. I am very familiar with heat ex-changers that are placed on smoke stacks .. the technology is called TEG " Thermal Electric Generation " which happens to be in it's infancy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_generator
•
•
25 w
@raymond_ford How is the article misleading?
•
•
26 w
Energy efficiency in industries starts from the little efforts of not printing emails and switching off lights in rooms not in use. This can also be achieved by automation of systems
•
•
26 w
This report on industrial energy efficiency offers a compelling roadmap for significant global emissions reduction by 2030.
•
•
26 w
It's good to promote energy efficiency in industries as a climate change mitigation.
•
•
26 w
Very uplifting to learn about measures that can be taken today without new innovations. A lot can be done already today, is there anything other than the knowledge of companies that stands in the way of this?
•
25 w
@Adam_Wallin Yes, political leaders' lack of decisions to restructure the society and make companies do the changes.