Beneficial electrification: An assessment of technical potential

In several end-use applications, electric technologies can save energy, reduce CO{sub 2}emissions, and improve productivity. The purpose of this study is to identify these beneficial uses of electricity and quantify the practical technical potential for their application. Results indicate that major technologies with the greatest potential include electric heat pumps for space heating and water heating in the residential and commercial markets; information technologies in the commercial market; induction heating, direct arc melting, electrolytic separation, and freeze concentration in the industrial market; and electric vehicles and electric mass transit in the transportation market. In total, these beneficial uses of electricity could increase electricity use in the year 2000 by 387 billion kWh, and in the year 2010 by 671 billion kWh, compared to 1990 levels.