Energy is a critical input to businesses and organizations of all sizes – especially manufacturers – and the cost of energy resources directly affects the bottom line. The U.S. industrial sector consumed over 30 quads of energy in 2013, accounting for roughly one third of the energy consumption of the U.S. (EIA 2015) Furthermore, energy costs can account for a significant portion of operating costs in energy-intensive manufacturing sectors such as chemicals, petroleum refining, and forest products (see Figure 1 below). Read More
