Climate protection with rapid payback: Energy and emissions savings potential of industrial insulation in EU27 industry

Panel: 4. Undertaking high impact actions: The role of technology and systems optimisation

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Andreas Gürtler, European Industrial Insulation Foundation, Switzerland
Maarten Neelis, Ecofys, The Netherlands

Abstract

Industrial insulation is a BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY for energy efficiency and it is even more than that. It reduces safety risks to personnel and equipment, improves process control and quality and helps industry to contribute to a cleaner environment. But these benefits seem still to be overlooked by most energy intensive sectors of European industry.

Because of this lack of awareness and knowledge the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF) commissioned Ecofys to investigate the energy savings potential of insulation in EU27 industry. This study is to be released in early 2012, and its results will be the core content of the EiiF presentation at ECEEE.

Preview:

By bringing insulation in European industrial installations to a cost-effective level, more than half of the unnecessary thermal losses could be avoided. This study result is based on current energy prices, which are most likely to rise over the coming years. Furthermore first calculations of the study (still confidential as the study is still in preparation) show that the annual energy savings potential in European industry can be estimated to be equivalent to the energy consumption of 10 million households or the total annual energy consumption of the Dutch industry. Besides the estimated energy savings and emission reductions another very interesting benefit will be proven by this study: In most cases the investments in industrial insulation needed, to tab this potential, will be paid back in just one year or even less.

The EiiF presentation will explain the methodology of the complex study carried out by Ecofys, reflect on literature and best practice examples and draw a concrete action plan on how to tap the estimated potential cost-effectively. It will furthermore provide an outlook on the chances to reach an optimum level for energy efficiency by installing insulation beyond cost-effective levels.

Notes

The author names were incorrect in the printed and interactive versions. These are the correct ones.

See EiiF's short film The Insulator on youtube.com.