Chemicals and chemical products

The chemicals and chemical products sector is one of the UK’s largest industrial sectors. It accounts for about 18.5% of UK industrial energy use and emits around 4% of the UK’s total annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Chemicals and chemical products companies spend an estimated £2.8 billion on energy and hydrocarbon feedstock per year. It is estimated that most companies could save 15% on their energy costs.

What to do now

	Boilers and heat distribution Service boilers every year – a regularly serviced boiler can save up to 10% on heating costs. More advice for making boilers and heat distribution more efficient

	Compressed air Find and fix leaks - a 3mm hole in your compressed air system could cost more than £700 per year in wasted energy More advice for making compressed air more efficient

	Motors and drives Turn off any motors that are left running during breaks or job changes – motors and drives use almost 66% of the electricity consumed by UK industry. More advice for making motors and drives more efficient

Next steps

Carry out an energy walk around to see where you can save energy across all existing systems..

The biggest opportunities for saving in this sector are in the following technologies. Work through each section to improve energy efficiency on your site.