Energy efficiencyis becoming always more important in the global economic scenario: cities have begun recycling and countries have implemented strategies for achieving a cleaner environment. But there hasn’t been much talk about applying technological advances to industrial processes. In this postwe are going to discuss aboutpotential energy efficiency for the industrial sector, both in terms of energy production and costs.
During the last couple of years, many different studies have proven that our future might become a lot greener than we initially thought. UNIDO, the Industrial Development Organisation of the United Nations, has estimated that by year 2050, up to 21% of the energy used by the manufacturing industry could be renewable. This is five times more than what is being used at the moment and is thus a significant step in making sure that industry can drastically reduce its environmental impact.
When talking about types of renewable resources, it seems that biofeedstocks and bioenergy will make up around three-quarters of energy needs used in this ecologically sustainable scenario. The remaining quarter will be mostly occupied by heat pumps and solar heating. Although it falls under the category of renewable energy sources, solar cooling won’t be included in the picture. The main reason behind this decision is the fact that its potential is much more limited than that of the other sources.
Projections have been made in terms of prices as well. This is an important factor since we are talking about industrial processes, in which cost-effectiveness plays an often decisive role. Biomass feedstock will require CO2, the price of which will rise up to $100 per 1 ton. On the other hand, the prices of fossil fuel will be critical.
It seems safe to conclude that it will be much more cost-effective to switch to sustainable energy sources. The conclusion applies both to individual users and industrial drives. This is why it is recommended that those in charge of making such important decisions be aware of the potential of renewable energy, both in terms of energy production and for a greener world.
For more information : http://exergy-orc.com/applications/heat-recovery-from-power-stations
