We live in a world where annual energy consumption is constantly increasing and is expected to peak in the coming decades. Given the world's growing population and heavy reliance on electronic devices in our daily lives, such a development is not unexpected. The real problem, however, is that these demands are primarily met by fossil fuels - a finite resource that contributes to climate change and releases a large number of pollutants. Of course, this problem can be successfully addressed, but for change to take hold, it must come from the top. So let's take a look at how various industries can reduce their energy consumption and make a difference.
A transition to renewable energy
Switching to renewable resources doesn't exactly reduce global energy consumption, but it does put it on a much more stable footing. However, the other benefits make this shift more than worthwhile. The green energy industry has a positive influence on lowering energy costs, reducing overall environmental impact, and contributing to the economy by creating new job opportunities. All of these are part of the same global green movement and share the same goals as the topic at hand: a green economy and a sustainable society.
Government-mandated energy audits
If we take the United States as an example of a developed country, we can see that the current state of energy efficiency on an industrial scale is rather poor. For example, in 2013, efficiency was only 42%. In other words, 58% of the energy used in the industrial sector was wasted. While things have improved slightly in subsequent years, there is still much room for improvement. A series of government-mandated and sponsored energy audits would help companies identify leaks in their facilities and suggest possible improvements.
Using more efficient equipment
Yet even without these audits, we all agree that simply replacing obsolete equipment with more efficient equipment will help the industrial sector significantly improve its efficiency. It is important to note that these measures are sector-independent. Take, for example, the oil and gas industry, which has traditionally been seen as part of the problem rather than the solution. Using quality petroleum equipment can significantly reduce energy consumption at these facilities and allow oil and gas companies to contribute to the cause.
Smarter programming
Some industrial equipment inherently consumes more energy than others (the energy audits mentioned above can help identify such equipment). Moving the operation of these machines to off-peak hours could significantly reduce utility bills for the industrial sector as a whole. However, to realize real savings, companies will need to find a way to reduce the number of hours of operation, introduce a greater level of automation, eliminate idling, and avoid simultaneous power-ups of machines that cause energy spikes and increase consumption.
Reducing non-essential consumption
What do we mean by "non-essential"? Well, energy spent on equipment that does not play an active role in industrial processes. For example, air conditioning and heating produce suitable working conditions for humans, but they are not essential to industrial production. Nevertheless, a recent study showed that these two systems use 20 to 40% of the energy consumption of an average building. These figures are also applicable to the industrial sector. Once again, the solution to the problem lies in proper maintenance and more efficient equipment.
Training the workforce
Finally, the human factor should be briefly mentioned. Without it, all of the above will be wishful thinking. Companies must therefore make a conscious effort to train their employees to use industrial equipment more efficiently and to maintain it better. However, these measures should not be limited to production processes. Workers should also be encouraged to turn off lights when not needed, maximize natural air circulation, etc. The cumulative savings from these small touches should not be overlooked.
These six simple measures are far from exhaustive, but they should give you a general idea of how the industrial sector can reduce its energy consumption and thus contribute to the fight for a more sustainable society. The day is approaching when we will completely switch to clean and renewable resources, but it is still quite far away. In the meantime, good management of available resources is probably the best thing we can do for our planet.