Released: February 2021

Next MECS will be fielded in 2022.

Table 10.21 Reasons that Made Natural Gas Unswitchable, 2018;

Level: National Data;Row: NAICS Codes;

Column: Reasons that Made Quantity Unswitchable;

Unit: Billion Cubic Feet.

Total Amount of Total Amount of Equipment is Not Switching Unavailable Long‐Term U

NAICS Natural Gas Unswitchable Capable of Using Adversely Affects Alternative Environmental Contract S

Code(a) Subsector and Industry Consumed as Fuel Natural Gas Fuel Use Another Fuel the Products Fuel Supply Restrictions(b) in Place(c) Alternat

Total United States

311 Food 644 578 429 8 6 13 12 

3112 Grain and Oilseed Milling 144 124 99 * * 5 0 

311221 Wet Corn Milling 59 54 53 0 0 1 0 

31131 Sugar Manufacturing 32 27 18 0 0 3 3 

3114 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food 88 82 60 1 * 3 Q 

3115 Dairy Product 76 65 53 * * 0 * 

3116 Animal Slaughtering and Processing 144 127 88 1 6 1 1 

312 Beverage and Tobacco Products 52 47 36 * 2 1 1 

3121 Beverages 48 44 34 * 2 1 1 

3122 Tobacco 4 2 2 0 * 0 * 

313 Textile Mills 22 12 9 * 0 0 * 314 Textile Product Mills 11 6 3 0 * 0 0 315 Apparel 2 1 1 0 * * * 316 Leather and Allied Products 1 1 1 0 * 0 * 

321 Wood Products 65 63 43 Q * * 2 

321113 Sawmills 17 17 9 Q * 0 1 

3212 Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Woods 30 29 22 * * * 1 

321219 Reconstituted Wood Products 20 19 13 * 0 * 1 

3219 Other Wood Products 15 14 10 * * 0 * 

322 Paper 551 489 344 3 15 31 8 

322110 Pulp Mills 39 32 25 0 1 * 0 322121 Paper Mills, except Newsprint 216 195 151 * 1 19 0 322122 Newsprint Mills 5 5 5 0 0 0 0 

322130 Paperboard Mills 227 199 125 0 11 11 8 

323 Printing and Related Support 23 20 11 * 1 0 * 

324 Petroleum and Coal Products 1,037 934 728 15 24 1 1 

324110 Petroleum Refineries 958 864 683 15 17 * 0 

324121 Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block 40 31 18 * * 1 1 

324122 Asphalt Shingle and Coating Materials 13 13 11 0 0 0 0 324191 Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Products 18 18 10 * Q * * 324199 Other Petroleum and Coal Products 8 8 6 0 1 * 0 

325 Chemicals 2,258 2,177 1,678 6 103 27 13 

325110 Petrochemicals 292 281 211 0 0 0 0 

325120 Industrial Gases 80 80 65 0 0 0 0 

325180 Other Basic Inorganic Chemicals 210 203 177 3 6 1 0 

325193 Ethyl Alcohol 346 342 280 0 3 Q 3 325194 Cyclic Crudes, Intermediate and Gum and Wood Chemicals 49 47 20 0 0 0 0 

325199 Other Basic Organic Chemicals 386 372 269 1 9 17 5 325211 Plastics Materials and Resins 402 386 281 0 83 2 * 

325212 Synthetic Rubber 19 17 7 0 * * 0 

325220 Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments 22 16 5 0 * 1 * 

325311 Nitrogenous Fertilizers 205 205 200 0 0 * 1 

325312 Phosphatic Fertilizers 24 24 D 0 0 0 0 

3254 Pharmaceuticals and Medicines 60 51 30 2 * 4 3 

Non Switchable Amount Attributed t
325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation 29 25 15 1 * 3 3 

325992 Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemicals 3 1 1 0 * 0 * 

326 Plastics and Rubber Products 80 67 44 * Q Q * 

327 Nonmetallic Mineral Products 335 303 209 3 4 2 7 

327120 Clay Building Material and Refractories 35 31 25 * 0 * 2 

327211 Flat Glass 40 37 32 0 2 0 0 327212 Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware 22 21 14 * 2 0 * 

327213 Glass Containers 41 41 35 0 0 1 0 327215 Glass Products from Purchased Glass 8 7 5 1 * 0 * 327310 Cements 55 39 14 0 0 1 0 

327410 Lime 18 15 2 2 1 * 0 327420 Gypsum 50 49 40 0 0 0 2 327993 Mineral Wool 21 20 16 0 0 0 0 

331 Primary Metals 616 590 454 3 14 * 18 

331110 Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloys 396 378 291 * 13 0 6 

3312 Steel Products from Purchased Steel 24 24 19 Q * * 1 

3313 Alumina and Aluminum 112 109 80 1 * 0 9 

331314 Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum 17 17 14 0 0 0 1 

331315 Aluminum Sheet, Plate and Foils 52 51 30 0 * 0 8 

331318 Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing and Extruding 17 14 12 0 0 0 * 

3314 Nonferrous Metals, except Aluminum 40 38 34 * * * 1 

331410 Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining 15 15 15 0 0 0 * 

3315 Foundries 43 40 29 * * 0 2 

331511 Iron Foundries 12 11 8 * 0 0 1 331523 Nonferrous Metal Die‐Casting Foundries 14 13 9 * * 0 1 

331524 Aluminum Foundries, except Die‐Casting 6 6 4 * 0 0 * 

332 Fabricated Metal Products 120 116 81 Q * Q * 333 Machinery 57 54 37 Q Q * Q 334 Computer and Electronic Products 29 27 17 * * 1 * 

334413 Semiconductors and Related Devices 13 12 7 0 * 1 * 

335 Electrical Equip., Appliances, and Components 35 34 24 * Q * * 

336 Transportation Equipment 151 146 91 * Q 2 * 

336111 Automobiles 18 17 14 0 0 * 0 

336112 Light Trucks and Utility Vehicles 24 24 14 * * 0 0 

3364 Aerospace Product and Parts 26 23 12 * * 2 0 

336411 Aircraft 6 5 3 0 0 1 0 

337 Furniture and Related Products 15 13 10 * 0 0 * 

339 Miscellaneous 24 23 21 * * 0 0 

Total 6,129 5,701 4,273 52 185 84 66 

(a) The Bureau of the Census classifies establishments using the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

(b) The environmental restrictions related to air quality that limit the amount of the usable alternative fuel that could be used instead.

(c) Long‐term contracts are typically with a utility or third‐party supplier such as an energy broker and requires the purchase of a fuel for an extended amount of time.

(d) The storage of usable alternative fuels is not available due to the potential environmental impact of storage tanks.

* Estimate less than 0.5.D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual establishments.

Q=Withheld because Relative Standard Error (RSE) is greater than 50 percent.

NA=Not available.

Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Form EIA‐846, 2018 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.

The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance practices applied (Approval ID: CBDRB‐FY20‐260).
Released: February 2021

Next MECS will be fielded in 2022.

RSE Table 10.21 Relative Standard Errors for Table 10.21;

Unit: Percents.

Total Amount of Total Amount of Equipment is Not Switching Unavailable Long‐Term Una

NAICS Natural Gas Unswitchable Capable of Using Adversely Affects Alternative Environmental Contract Stor

Code(a) Subsector and Industry Consumed as Fuel Natural Gas Fuel Use Another Fuel the Products Fuel Supply Restrictions(b) in Place(c) Alternative 

Total United States

311 Food 4.5 5.0 6.4 48.0 2.4 6.9 32.2 

3112 Grain and Oilseed Milling 3.6 4.1 3.7 0.0 68.0 0.7 X 

311221 Wet Corn Milling 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X 0.0 X 

31131 Sugar Manufacturing 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X 0.0 0.0 

3114 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food 3.2 3.5 4.7 16.5 69.4 4.5 54.1 

3115 Dairy Product 2.3 2.4 2.6 0.0 44.1 X 62.3 

3116 Animal Slaughtering and Processing 6.2 6.9 9.8 26.6 0.1 25.3 18.0 

312 Beverage and Tobacco Products 8.5 9.5 12.2 56.2 8.8 0.0 0.0 

3121 Beverages 9.2 10.0 12.9 56.2 9.0 0.0 0.0 

3122 Tobacco 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 X 0.0 

313 Textile Mills 12.7 10.6 12.0 66.4 X X 30.3 314 Textile Product Mills 13.5 20.3 27.6 X 40.0 X X 

315 Apparel 14.3 17.0 26.8 X 74.4 0.0 54.0 316 Leather and Allied Products 11.6 13.2 9.2 X 54.6 X 85.5 

321 Wood Products 10.2 10.6 4.7 89.8 7.4 68.1 8.1 

321113 Sawmills 36.2 36.9 2.8 96.8 38.0 X 0.0 

3212 Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Woods 1.2 1.2 1.6 0.5 2.9 0.0 0.0 

321219 Reconstituted Wood Products 0.9 1.0 1.4 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 

3219 Other Wood Products 14.9 15.6 19.4 72.6 98.3 X 84.5 

322 Paper 1.0 1.2 1.4 0.0 18.5 0.1 0.0 

322110 Pulp Mills 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 X 

322121 Paper Mills, except Newsprint 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 

322122 Newsprint Mills 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X X X 

322130 Paperboard Mills 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 0.0 

323 Printing and Related Support 10.0 10.9 15.9 70.8 48.9 X 65.4 

324 Petroleum and Coal Products 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.4 13.5 6.3 15.3 

324110 Petroleum Refineries 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 324121 Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block 3.9 4.8 3.3 45.4 48.7 10.0 15.8 324122 Asphalt Shingle and Coating Materials 1.1 1.1 1.3 X X X X 

324191 Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Products 17.4 17.8 1.4 0.0 55.4 0.0 8.2 

324199 Other Petroleum and Coal Products 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 X 

325 Chemicals 1.7 1.7 2.2 19.0 4.4 4.8 14.1 

325110 Petrochemicals 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X X X 325120 Industrial Gases 1.9 1.9 0.5 X X X X 

325180 Other Basic Inorganic Chemicals 4.0 4.1 4.7 35.3 0.0 32.3 X 

325193 Ethyl Alcohol 1.5 1.5 1.8 X 8.9 74.3 0.0 325194 Cyclic Crudes, Intermediate and Gum and Wood Chemicals 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X X X 325199 Other Basic Organic Chemicals 6.0 6.2 8.1 2.9 44.9 0.2 36.9 325211 Plastics Materials and Resins 1.1 1.2 1.4 X 0.1 0.0 61.9 325212 Synthetic Rubber 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 X 325220 Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 0.0 0.0 325311 Nitrogenous Fertilizers 3.2 3.2 3.2 X X 87.1 0.0 

325312 Phosphatic Fertilizers 0.0 0.0 D X X X X 

3254 Pharmaceuticals and Medicines 5.2 5.7 9.5 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 

325412 Pharmaceutical Preparation 9.6 11.1 19.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 325992 Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemicals 0.4 0.9 1.2 X 0.0 X 0.0 

Non Switchable Amount Attributed to:
326 Plastics and Rubber Products 14.3 15.0 16.7 93.1 95.7 64.2 69.8 

327 Nonmetallic Mineral Products 1.7 1.8 1.5 1.0 2.2 0.0 25.2 

327120 Clay Building Material and Refractories 2.2 2.4 1.6 9.0 X 0.0 25.8 327211 Flat Glass 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 X X 

327212 Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware 0.7 0.7 0.9 25.8 0.0 X 62.7 

327213 Glass Containers 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X 0.0 X 

327215 Glass Products from Purchased Glass 1.1 1.2 1.5 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 

327310 Cements 1.2 1.7 0.7 X X 0.0 X 

327410 Lime 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 

327420 Gypsum 0.5 0.5 0.6 X X X 0.0 

327993 Mineral Wool 1.0 1.0 1.2 X X X X 

331 Primary Metals 0.2 0.2 0.2 14.7 0.5 14.5 0.1 

331110 Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloys 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 

3312 Steel Products from Purchased Steel 3.9 3.9 4.3 72.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 3313 Alumina and Aluminum 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.0 X 0.2 

331314 Secondary Smelting and Alloying of Aluminum 2.3 2.3 1.9 X X X 0.0 

331315 Aluminum Sheet, Plate and Foils 0.0 0.0 0.0 X 0.0 X 0.0 

331318 Other Aluminum Rolling, Drawing and Extruding 0.4 0.5 0.6 X X X 32.4 

3314 Nonferrous Metals, except Aluminum 1.3 1.4 1.6 49.4 25.7 78.9 0.0 

331410 Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining 1.3 1.3 1.3 X X X 0.0 

3315 Foundries 0.9 0.8 0.9 8.8 19.3 X 0.7 

331511 Iron Foundries 2.0 1.3 1.7 0.0 X X 0.4 

331523 Nonferrous Metal Die‐Casting Foundries 1.6 1.8 1.7 27.8 20.2 X 0.0 

331524 Aluminum Foundries, except Die‐Casting 1.3 1.3 1.8 6.2 X X 0.0 

332 Fabricated Metal Products 16.1 16.7 19.4 70.9 83.9 92.1 98.8 

333 Machinery 13.0 13.5 16.4 80.6 74.6 9.9 99.0 334 Computer and Electronic Products 10.4 11.0 16.3 81.4 96.3 0.0 4.9 

334413 Semiconductors and Related Devices 3.6 3.8 6.4 X 0.0 0.0 0.0 

335 Electrical Equip., Appliances, and Components 15.1 15.5 20.0 83.9 55.6 85.9 96.1 

336 Transportation Equipment 8.5 8.8 10.6 43.9 98.6 0.0 73.8 

336111 Automobiles 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X 0.0 X 

336112 Light Trucks and Utility Vehicles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 X X 

3364 Aerospace Product and Parts 2.8 3.2 5.4 38.3 33.7 0.0 X 

336411 Aircraft 1.6 1.7 2.5 X X 0.0 X 

337 Furniture and Related Products 12.4 12.1 15.2 78.6 X X 56.1 

339 Miscellaneous 17.6 18.4 20.2 97.8 81.9 X X 

Total 0.9 1.0 1.2 15.2 5.2 4.2 7.6 

(a) The Bureau of the Census classifies establishments using the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

(b) The environmental restrictions related to air quality that limit the amount of the usable alternative fuel that could be used instead.

(c) Long‐term contracts are typically with a utility or third‐party supplier such as an energy broker and requires the purchase of a fuel for an extended amount of time.

(d) The storage of usable alternative fuels is not available due to the potential environmental impact of storage tanks.

* Estimate less than 0.5.D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual establishments.

Q=Withheld because Relative Standard Error (RSE) is greater than 50 percent.

X=Not defined because RSE corresponds to a data table value of zero.

NA=Not available.

Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Form EIA‐846, 2018 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.

The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance practices applied (Approval ID: CBDRB‐FY20‐260).