Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Pumping systems efficiency improvements flow straight to the bottom line
- Author(s): Tutterow, Vestal
- Casada, Don
- McKane, Aimee
- et al.
Industrial electrical motors account for two-thirds of the US industrial electricity usage. Pumping systems account for an estimated 25 percent of this electrical motor consumption, while pumping systems in use in US chemical facilities consume over 37,000 GWh/year, based on US Department of Energy (DOE) data. A study funded by DOE estimates potential energy savings within the chemical industry alone of approximately 20 percent, representing an energy savings of over 7,500 GWh/year, through industrial pumping systems optimization using existing, proven techniques and technologies. This energy savings potential represents significant cost savings potential for industrial facilities. Additionally, it has been shown that energy efficiency improvements to industrial systems usually provide improved reliability, improved productivity, and reduced environmental costs.