Energy and carbon footprints map energy use and carbon emissions in manufacturing from energy supply to end use. The footprints show where energy is used and lost—and the associated greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are emitted. Each footprint visualizes the flow of energy (in the form of fuel, electricity, or steam) to major end uses in manufacturing, including boilers, power generators, process heaters, process coolers, machine-driven equipment, facility HVAC, and lighting.
Available Footprints
Footprints are available for 15 manufacturing sectors that collectively represent 95% of all manufacturing energy use, as well as for U.S. manufacturing as a whole in 2010. The 16 footprints are accessible through the links below.
- All Manufacturing
- Alumina and Aluminum
- Cement
- Chemicals
- Computers, Electronics and Electrical Equipment
- Fabricated Metals
- Food and Beverage
- Forest Products
- Foundries
- Glass
- Iron and Steel
- Machinery
- Petroleum Refining
- Plastics
- Textiles
- Transportation Equipment
Note: This page was updated in February 2014 with the most recent manufacturing energy and carbon footprints (using the most recent 2010 EIA MECS data and updated assumptions). Footprints that use 2006 EIA MECS data are still available here. For more information, email the webmaster.
Footprint Content
Each footprint presents data at two levels of detail. The first page provides a high-level view of supply and end use, while the second page shows details of how energy is distributed to onsite end uses. The analyses are based on manufacturing energy consumption data from the Energy Information Administration’s 2010 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS), along with referenced energy loss and emission factors, and input from industry and subject matter experts.
- Electricity and steam generated offsite and transferred to the facility, as well as electricity and steam generated onsite
- Fuel, electricity, and steam consumed by major end uses in a manufacturing facility
- Offsite and onsite energy losses due to the generation, transmission and distribution, and end use consumption of energy (some losses are unrecoverable)
- GHG emissions released during the combustion of fuel
Footprint Purpose
Footprints can help users to better understand the distribution of energy use in each industry and to compare use, loss, and carbon emissions within and across sectors. Areas of high energy consumption or significant energy losses indicate opportunities to improve efficiency by implementing energy management best practices, upgrading energy systems, or developing new technologies. The footprints provide a macro-scale benchmark for evaluating the benefits of improving energy efficiency and for prioritizing opportunity analysis.
Additional Analysis
The U.S. Manufacturing Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis report expands on the Energy and Carbon Footprints that were based on the 2006 EIA MECS data to trace energy from supply (fuel, electricity, and steam) to major end-use applications in U.S. manufacturing. The report ranks the energy use, energy losses, and energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 15 sectors.
