The potential for energy efficient technologies to reduce carbon emissions in the United States: the industrial sector

This paper presents an assessment of the possible contribution that an invigorated effort to move energy efficient technology which is commercially available, or near commercialization, into the market could make to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the US Industrial sector by 2010. It presents preliminary results from the industrial sector chapter of a larger study being undertaken by the Dept. of Energy. We begin with some background information on our approach to the assessment and how that approach is shaped by the complexities of the US industrial sector and the limitations of the available analytical tools for this sector. We then describe the results of our model-based scenario analysis through the year 2010. We summarize examples of the types of technologies that, were they to come into widespread use in the US industrial sector in the near term, would achieve the model scenario results, acknowledging that widespread adoption of these technologies would require the appropriate policies (e.g., accelerated R&D, fiscal incentives and market conditions).