Improving the efficiency of fossil carbon use for materials

This paper deals with the use of fossil carbon to manufacture materials (products of non-energy use) and with the potential to reduce the inputs of fossil resources and the emissions of fossil carbon CO{sub 2}. The paper starts by giving an overview of the material flows in Germany in 1995. As an interesting result, recycled and re-used products still accounted for less than 10% of the final products consumed domestically. Then the energy requirements and CO{sub 2} emissions of all the production and waste processes related to non-energy use are calculated: it is estimated that approx. 1,700 PJ of finite primary energy are consumed and 57 Mt of fossil CO{sub 2} emissions are released (1995). Compared to the total German industry (without non-energy use) this is equivalent to nearly 44% for energy and 10% for fossil CO{sub 2}. The potential for future improvement is quantified by estimating the possible impact of recycling, re-use, enhanced energy recovery and the use of biomass as a feedstock. In total, the potential savings identified amount to 218 PJ of gross finite energy and 13.6 Mt of gross fossil CO{sub 2}. Compared to the total system analyzed this is equivalent to savings of 12.8% formore » energy and 23.8% for CO{sub 2}. Hence, the saving potential identified on the non-energy side is comparable to the one discussed and negotiated for energy efficiency improvement.« less