Energy Basics
Industrial users in Arkansas consumed 432,560 billion BTU in 2008, or about 1.4% of the nation’s industrial energy use. The table below shows the different sources of energy and the amount of each that is used by Arkansas industries.
Source |
Percentage | Annual MMBTU |
| Natural Gas | 20.6% | 88,900,000 |
| Biomass | 15.5% | 67,200,000 |
| Electricity | 13.4% | 58,100,000 (17 Billion kWh) |
| Distillate Fuel Oil | 9.9% | 42,900,000 |
| Other | 7.8% | 33,700,000 |
| Coal | 2.2% | 9,600,000 |
| Gasoline | 0.8% | 3,600,000 |
| LPG | 0.7% | 3,100,000 |
| Residual Fuel Oil | 0.1% | 300,000 |
Sources of energy use in industry
Arkansas has a diverse industrial base with many different industries represented. Energy use in these different industries may vary significantly. One food processing facility may use much of their total energy consumption on electricity for refrigeration and freezing processes, while another food processing facility may be a large consumer of natural gas that is used for heating ovens or fryers. In other parts of the state, lumber and wood product manufacturers may generate large amounts of steam for curing, conditioning, and other processes. Many of our state’s manufacturing assembly plants may find that over half of their electricity consumption goes to electric motors that are used to process, assemble, and transport products.
While the energy use in different industrial facilities may vary significantly, these facilities have many things in common. The energy systems in these facilities generally consist of lighting, HVAC, motors, fans, compressed air, pumps, process heating, and steam. The use of these systems varies, but the basic operating principles of each system are the same. You can find more about each of these systems in our Industrial Systems section.
Where do I start?
Energy management is the use of engineering and economic principles to control the cost of energy. Energy costs have risen in the past decade to a point where energy management is essential for the survival of many businesses. Beyond the financial benefits of energy management, there are also social and environmental benefits. Dependence on foreign oil, global warming, and the planet that we will leave for future generations are all things that we can influence through our efforts in energy management.
A successful energy management program starts at the top of any company. The CEO or board of directors should understand the benefits and consequences of energy management, and that there is significant money to be saved and competitive advantage to be gained. Once management is involved, form an energy management team and establish an energy manager who will be responsible for implementation of energy reduction projects. This person should provide periodic feedback on progress to the company. Develop a formal written energy management plan that is approved by the CEO or Board and includes specific annualized energy reduction goals. Develop methods for communication and feedback on energy use and product based energy intensity with a mechanism for receiving employee suggestions on possible opportunities for energy reductions. If possible, include an incentives/reward plan to recognize employee contributions. EPA’s Energy Star program includes a good description of an industrial energy management program.
Ultimately a good energy management program hinges on indentifying energy efficiency actions that are substantial and cost effective. The purpose of the Arkansas Industrial Energy Clearinghouse is to help companies find these projects, resulting in lower energy consumption and utility costs. As you require additional information beyond the content of this website, please contact us for personalized assistance.
