Such an approach is particularly relevant for developing countries as it reduces costs, believes Mandil. Governments can help by offering a credible outlook for the long-term value of carbon dioxide, he states – claiming that those companies taking the C02 challenge seriously from early on will reap the benefits in the coming decades.
Incomes are rising, observes Mandil - leading to increasing demand for bigger homes and cars, he adds. This phenomenon poses a particular problem, as it produces carbon dioxide emissions that are directly caused by consumer use, as well as indirect emissions linked to the production of the materials contained in the product, he believes.
Meanwhile, massive recent increases in industrial energy use and cement, aluminium, ammonia and steel production in China - plus the rise of a car-buying, house-building middle class - has led to the huge growth in emissions from its manufacturing sector, Mandil observes. Moreover, increased demand for building materials and packaging in China has ended hopes of a reduction in the quantity of materials consumed globally, he adds.
However, many of the most energy efficient industries are also found in developing economies, he points out, as new plants are more efficient than old ones – citing African aluminium smelting and Brazilian cement production as examples.
Rising C02 emissions can be mitigated through energy efficiency measures, Mandil believes. If the best available technology were to be applied to the global manufacturing industry, emissions would be reduced by 8 to 12%, he claims.
Mandil suggests that the situation can be improved by:
- Supporting energy-efficiency policy by domestic measures, international financial institutions and carbon dioxide incentives, and development programmes.
- Combining heat and power generation.
- Developing more efficient motor systems.
- Optimising the life cycle of materials.
- Basing new investments in manufacturing on the best technology available.
- Retrofitting existing manufacturing plants with energy recovery equipment.
- Encouraging industry and government to cooperate in the development and use of energy efficiency indicators.
Mandil concludes that in order to maximise energy efficiency in industry, systems options will need new regulations and standards, and engineers and managers will need to be better educated in energy matters in order to provide a sound basis for the development of a long-term policy that reduces carbon dioxide emissions while allowing consumption to grow.
