Reducing energy consumption and green-house gas emissions in industry: Measuring the effects of a voluntary program

Panel: 3. Energy use in industry: The road from policy to action

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Ken Tiedemann, BC Hydro, Canada
Iris Sulyma, BC Hydro, Canada

Abstract

Background and Objective. The Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC) was established in 1975 and is the oldest voluntary industry and government energy efficiency partnership in the world. CIPEC is a sector-level outreach and advocacy program that promotes the establishment, implementation, tracking and reporting of energy efficiency improvement targets at an aggregate and sub-sector level.

Method and Results. The purpose of the present study is to: (1) estimate sector energy consumption by end use for thirteen end uses; (2) develop net measure savings rates by end use; (3) determine impact of the CIPEC program impact on energy savings; and (4) determine impact of the CIPEC program impact on carbon dioxide emissions. The study is based on survey data, econometric modeling and engineer analysis.

Some key findings are:

• End use energy consumption in Canadian industry is dominated by motor loads for electricity and by process heat for fuel oil and natural gas;

• Estimates of net measure savings rates are based on a pre-post comparison of energy consumption using a control group. About two-thirds of energy savings are attributable to electricity end uses while the remaining one-third of energy savings is due to fuel oil and natural gas.

• Energy savings were estimated as the product of the use rate, the net savings rate, and the number of participants. Total savings over five years for CIPEC were some 28,178 TJ.

• Carbon dioxide emission reductions were estimated as the product of energy savings by measure and a fuel specific emissions factor. Total emissions reductions for CIPEC were some 2,427 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.