Overview of the Electrical Energy Segment of the Energy Information Administration/ Manufacturing Consumption Report

Abstract

At the end of 1997, The Energy Information Administration (EIA) published a report titled What Took Place in the Economic Environment Between 1991 and 1994 That Affected the Energy Manufacturers Used? This report contains information gathered from Manufacturing Energy Consumption Surveys (MECS), representing a sampling of over 250,000 manufacturing establishments in 52 industries and nine geographical Census divisions. Although the report covers natural gas, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, coke and breeze, coal, and electricity, only the electricity segment is overviewed. Along with pure electrical energy consumption information, newly available data covers methods that manufacturers used to purchase and modify electric motor systems. The report also introduces the US Department of Energy's Motor Challenge Program and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Green Lights and Energy Star Programs. Topics such as changes in the electricity market, technology improvements, price disparities, and lessons learned from the natural gas restructuring as related to the electric utility deregulation relate the changes that are impacting the industrial environment. Although the report details information from many industries, the four major energy consumers in the manufacturing sector are: * Petroleum and Coal Products (SIC 29) * Chemicals and Allied Products (SIC 28) * Paper and Allied Partners (SIC 26) * Primary Metal Industries (SIC 33) These industries are also very proactive in their attempts to promote energy efficiency in all areas, including electrical. For example, the IEEE-841 Standard motor is a result of the work of some of these industries. The impact on the industrial Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) markets show the need for increasing awareness in all aspects of electrical energy, especially in light of the implementation of the Energy Policy Act and the deregulation of the utility industry.