Centrica Sees Big Savings for Industrial Users
The UK industrial sector could save at least £540mn ($710mn) on its energy bills by adopting new energy technologies such as solar and battery storage, according to a report published September 23 by the country's biggest energy retailer Centrica.
The Distributed Energy: Powering the future of industry report covers the UK’s major manufacturing and production activities such as steel, mining, chemicals, car manufacturing, machinery and food and drink production, which together account for one quarter of the UK’s entire electricity demand. The sector has been challenged to improve its energy productivity by 20% by 2030, as set out by the government’s Clean Growth Strategy.
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The report says that last year, the industrial sector used 92TWh, "a clear signal of the opportunity for industrial organisations to play their part in the changing energy landscape, while also unlocking the potential of energy to ensure the UK’s position in the global marketplace." It says that this will be a "particularly important opportunity for the UK as it adapts to life outside the European Union.”
The research findings suggest that savings could be achieved by adopting distributed energy technology such as new heating and lighting, solar, combined heat and power (CHP) and battery storage. New energy monitoring technology can also help to identify inefficient machinery and processes, it said.
The report was published to coincide with the official opening of Centrica’s new CHP plant, at a factory in Salford in Greater Manchester, September 21. Installing CHP has long been more an aspiration than a reality in the UK, despite the much higher efficiency of the plants.
The full report may be read here.