Data Summaries

End-Use Consumption*Use of Energy*Direct Cost (Price) of Energy*Operating Ratios*Energy Storage*Electricity* Natural Gas*Fuel Switching Capability*Energy Management*Floorspace*Technology

Manufacturing activity has increased since the previous Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS). From 1991 to 1994, domestic manufacturing establishments increased output and consumption. For that 3 year time period, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that 3 out of 4 manufacturing industries indicated a growth in an index of quantity of goods produced.

Likewise, the Energy Information Administration reports from the MECS that U.S. manufacturing consumption has increased 3.2 percent per year from 1991 through 1994. With that growth, manufacturers consumed nearly 21.7 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy--in physical units, this amount consist of 2.7 quadrillion Btu (778 billion kilowatthours) of net electricity; 0.5 quadrillion Btu (78 million barrels) of residual fuel oil; 0.2 quadrillion Btu (27 million barrels) of distillate fuel oil; 6.8 quadrillion Btu (6.6 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas; 1.6 quadrillion Btu (461 million barrels) of liquefied petroleum gas; 2.1 quadrillion Btu (88 million short tons) of coal; 0.4 quadrillion Btu (18 million short tons) of coke and breeze; 7.9 quadrillion Btu of other petroleum and non-petroleum based energy sources. Manufacturers, in addition to consuming energy, may also produce and sell energy. From those energy sources, manufactures shipped offsite 0.6 quadrillion Btu of energy that was produced at manufacturing sites, such as the transformation of coal to coal coke in the coking process of the steel industry.

Table 1. U.S. Total First Use (formerly Primary Consumption) of Energy by Industry Group, 1994 (Estimates in Trillion Btu)

Two major industry groups-chemical and allied products and petroleum and coal products-consumed over one half of the first use (formerly primary consumption) of energy, which totaled 21.7 quadrillion Btu (Table 1). These two groups, summed with paper and allied products; primary metals industries; food and kindred products; stone, clay and glass products; and lumber and wood products, account for roughly 90 percent of the first use of energy by manufacturing establishments.

Some other findings from manufacturers in the 1994 MECS include...

Heat and power production account for 70 percent of First Use of Energy Nonfuel and raw material uses of energy account for 30 percent of First Use of Energy First Use of Energy for all purposes increased 10 percent since 1991 Total Inputs of Energy increased 10 percent since 1991 Offsite-Produced Energy increased 11 percent since 1991

Natural gas is the most heavily consumed energy source by manufacturers, accounting for 6.8 quadrillion Btu (6.6 trillion cubic feet) of First Use of Energy for all purposes Net electricity and natural gas use grew by 12 percent since 1991 Residual and distillate fuel oils use grew by 8 percent since 1991 Coke & breeze use grew by 46 percent since 1991 LPG use grew by 4 percent since 1991 Coal use grew by 5 percent since 1991

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

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Electricity

Electricity ranks as the single most common source of energy in the manufacturing sector. Although electricity is almost omnipresent, it ranks second in its quantity of First Use of Energy, behind natural gas.

Depending on how electricity use is calculated, the rankings of energy sources may change. If, for example, the energy that was used to generate electricity is included in MECS estimates, then electricity estimates would be inflated by applying a conversion value different than the thermal energy conversion of 3,412 Btu per kilowatthour (kWh). One estimate from the Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Review reveals that it takes, on average, 10,272 Btu to generate 1 kWh of electricity in a fossil-fueled steam-electric plant. The efficiency of electricity generation varies among energy suppliers and by applying an average value may skew the electricity estimation. In addition, neither conversion value includes losses that occur in distribution.

In 1994, manufacturers demanded 918 billion kWh of electricity -- up nearly 12 percent from the 1991 estimate of 820 billion kWh. With the exception of electricity sales by manufacturers, MECS reports a larger value for purchases (including transfers in) and onsite generation in 1994 than in 1991. Purchases (including transfers in from other establishments) exceeded 804 billion kWh (718 billion kWh in 1991) and onsite generation (cogeneration, renewable and conventional) was 142 billion kWh (130 billion kWh in 1991). Among the many factors that may have driven that growth in electricity use are: increased economic activity, recovery from the recession of 1991, and electrification of the manufacturing sector.

Unlike most energy consumers, some manufacturers produce energy, either as a byproduct or a product. Of course, petroleum refineries (SIC 2911) produce energy onsite; however, the bulk of that energy is then sold for consumption by other entities -- MECS does not count that energy because refineries do not actually consume those refinery outputs. Electricity represents one of several sources of energy produced onsite by manufacturers. It can be generated by cogeneration (i.e., electricity produced in conjunction with the sequential use of steam in a manufacturing process), renewable sources (solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower) and conventional generation in an electric generator. Given that nearly 90 percent of the 142 billion kWh of onsite-generated electricity was cogenerated, it is not surprising that the heaviest electricity generation was concentrated in a few industries -- ones, such as Paper (SIC 26) and Chemicals (SIC 28), that require a large volume of steam for their manufacturing processes and/or generate byproducts that may be used for electricity generation.

Byproducts influence the potential for electricity generation by manufacturers. Blast furnace gas, coke oven gas, still gas, petroleum coke, and wood residues represent several energy-related byproducts produced by manufacturing processes. Manufacturers, driven to use their materials and inputs efficiently to ensure economic survival, may use these byproducts for heat, power, and electricity generation purposes. For example, blast furnace gas produced in the iron-making process has three main uses: 1) burning for heating purposes in co-located coke ovens, 2) input to power generation and 3) boiler inputs. The exact extent of byproducts used to generate electricity is unknown and is dependent upon an individual establishment's economics and energy requirements.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

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