By Kyle Peschler
From the July / August 2024 Issue
In 2022, the U.S. industrial sector accounted for 35% of total U.S. end-use energy consumption and 33% of total U.S. energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The U.S. industrial sector uses a variety of energy sources including: natural gas; petroleum, such as distillate and residual fuel oils and hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs); electricity; renewable sources, mainly biomass such as pulping liquids (called black liquor) and other residues from papermaking and residues from agriculture, forestry, and lumber milling; and coal and coal coke.
In all cases, a robust and reliable energy infrastructure is crucial to companies’ manufacturing operations. Here are a few locations that are offering these resources.
Most industries purchase electricity from electric utilities or independent power producers. In addition, some industrial facilities also generate electricity for their own use using fuels that they purchase and/or the residues from their industrial processes. Some manufacturers produce electricity with solar photovoltaic systems located on their properties. Some industrial facilities sell some of the electricity that they generate.
Industry uses fossil fuels and renewable energy sources for: heat in industrial processes and space heating in buildings; boiler fuel to generate steam or hot water for process heating and generating electricity; and feedstocks (raw materials) to make products such as plastics and chemicals. The industrial sector uses electricity for operating industrial motors and machinery, lights, computers and office equipment, and equipment for facility heating, cooling, and ventilation.
Within the industrial sector, manufacturing accounts for the largest share of annual industrial energy consumption, generally followed by mining, construction, and agriculture.
In all cases, a robust and reliable energy infrastructure is crucial to companies’ manufacturing operations. Continue reading to learn about locations that are offering these resources.
