LIFE: cutting costs and boosting efficiency for energy intensive industries

Industry uses more than 25% of all energy in the EU and produces 15% of its carbon emissions. The most energy-hungry businesses — known as energy intensive industries or EIIs — range from chemical and steel manufacturing to mining and cement production and account for half of all industrial energy consumed.  

LIFE AUDIT-PLUS offers a free energy efficiency consultancy service to 82 EIIs in Ireland, Poland and Spain to provide them with all the technical capacity and regulatory knowledge they need to reduce both energy consumption and harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The project supports both the Clean Industrial Deal for competitiveness and decarbonisation and the clean energy transition — part of the European Green Deal — both of which are essential for the EU to reach its target of being the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. 

The 3-year, €1.3 million LIFE project is on track for some remarkable results. By the time the project closes in 2026, it will be saving an estimated 303 GWh of energy and reducing CO2 emissions by around 66 000 tonnes each year – roughly the same as taking 14 000 cars off the road  The project is also expected to generate nearly 1 000 new full-time jobs and encourage nearly €70 million worth of investments in renewable energy. 

LIFE AUDIT-PLUS covers a range of EIIs — in Ireland, for example, the project includes pharmaceuticals, chemicals and healthcare, while in Poland the focus is on food processing. In Spain the project works with two distinct sectors with very different needs —  industrial ceramics such as floor and wall tiles in Castellón, and fishing and food processing in Galicia. Despite the wide range of products and processes, all these industries share a common need for greater energy efficiency. 

‘Collaboration is key to success,’ says Dr Luciano De Tommasi of the International Energy Research Centre, which coordinates the project ‘We created four operational groups to identify current gaps and needs, and established a platform where decision-makers, associations and technology providers work together to encourage investment in energy efficiency.’ 

LIFE AUDIT-PLUS aims to set up a one-stop-shop website where EIIs can find all the practical information they need, and a knowledge hub with the latest news, case studies and training materials. The project offers vouchers to selected EIIs each worth 100 hours of free consultancy service aimed at reducing companies’ energy use by at least 10%. 

‘It’s important to understand that the political, economic, social, technical and legal context is different for each industry and for each country,’ adds Luciano. ‘These factors have a significant influence on commercial decisions when it comes to investing in energy efficiency.’ 

The project supports the EU Clean Industrial Deal, the European Green Deal and the EU long-term Climate Action Strategy.