By 2030, the industrial sector could become a net electricity producer rather than a net consumer. These benefits can be attained through policies that stimulate the introduction and use of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources, such as combined heat and power, fuel cells for powering vehicles, high efficiency heat pumps for space and water heating, new bioenergy conversion techniques, and industrial process improvements such as membrane separation technologies and advanced sensors and controls. The industrial sector is diverse, with a wide range of processes, energy requirements, and pollution issues. The fact that energy is cheap and is not a major cost component for most industries, makes energy efficiency a low priority for most industries. In addition, most industries do not perceive energy as a discrete issue, but as a component of broader issues such as cost of manufacturing, environmental compliance, safety and productivity.
Energy efficiency competes with other issues for limited resources within a company.
While capital is the most often cited resource, staff time may be of equal or greater importance. Corporate downsizing has resulted in less staff available to address all issues. Since energy is a component of most processes and these other processes merit greater attention from management, it makes sense to understand the interrelationships among these variables in order to promote energy efficiency more effectively to management. Studying these interrelationships shows that energy efficiency projects often have benefits that extend beyond energy savings to include pollution prevention, process efficiencies, and increased productivity. Conversely, energy savings often accompany projects that focus on pollution prevention, process efficiency, or increased productivity.