The role of electricity in American industry: Update

Technical Report · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6975809

Burwell, C C

Between 1960 and 1982 US industry reduced its use of energy by 41% for each unit of output. This astonishing increase in energy efficiency was accompanied by an equally notable trend. Over that same period, while energy use dropped, the amount of electricity needed per unit of industrial output actually increased by almost 10%. These two phenomena - reduced energy consumption and increased electricity consumption - point to an important trend that has been generally overlooked in energy analyses: the continuing electrification of US industry. The prospects for increased electrification are substantial. There are a variety of economic, productivity, and environmental advantages to the use of electricity in various process industries. For example, processing industries such as glass-making, primary metals production, chemicals, pulp and paper, and petroleum refining are making major changes toward increased electrification and associated improvements in overall energy efficiency, productivity, and economic competitiveness. Since the process industries are not labor-intensive, further electrification is unlikely to introduce unemployment problems. In fact, it is probable that the increased use of electricity in the future will actually increase job opportunities in the areas of electric generating station construction and electric equipment manufacture and maintenance.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76OR00033
• OSTI ID: 6975809
• Report Number(s): DOE/OR/00033-T264; ON: DE87004892
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320301* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Energy Sources
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
INDUSTRY
MANUFACTURING
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
PRICES
USA
USES