Electrical Energy Requirements for Manufacturing Processes

This paper collapses the specific electrical energy requirements for a wide range of manufacturing processes into a single plot. The analysis is cast in an exergy framework. The results show: 1) the specific energy requirements for manufacturing processes are not constant as many life cycle analysis tools assume, 2) the most important variable for estimating this energy requirement is the process rate, and 3) the trend in manufacturing process development is toward more and more energy intensive processes. The analysis presented here also provides insight into how equipment can be redesigned in order to be more energy efficient.